Using direct observations on multiple occasions to measure household food availability among low-income Mexicano residents in Texas colonias

Table 2 Food Security Using the Six-Item Short Form of the Food Security Survey Module

	% (n)
In the past 12 months
Food that was purchased did not last and didn't have money to get more	100 (6)
Almost every month^a	33.3 (2)
Some months^a	66.7 (4)
Could not afford to eat balanced meals	100 (6)
Almost every month^b	33.3 (2)
Some months^b	50 (3)
1-2 months^b	16.7 (1)
Cut the size or skipped meals because there wasn't enough money for food	83.3 (5)
Almost every month^c	16.7 (1)
Some months^c	66.7 (4)
Eat less than you felt you should because there wasn't enough money for food	83.3 (5)
Hungry but didn't eat because you couldn't afford enough food.	83.3 (5)
Overall food security status (scores 0 - 6)
High food insecurity (score = 6)	83.3 (5)
Food insecurity (score = 2)	16.7 (1)

^a Frequency that food did not last and didn't have money to get more
^b Frequency that could not afford to eat balanced meals
^c Frequency that cut the size or skipped meals because there wasn't enough money for food

ISSN: 1471-2458