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Table 1 Food security constructs used to compare mothers’ and children’s responses

From: Children’s reporting of food insecurity in predominately food insecure households in Texas border colonias

Food security construct

Household Food Security Survey Module Question

Food Security Survey Module for Youth Question

Worry about food supplies

HH2) “(I/We) worried whether (my/our) food would runout before (I/we) got money to buy more.” Was that often true, sometimes true, or never true for (you/yourhousehold) in the last 3 months?

1) Did you worry that food at home would run out before your family got money to buy more?

Run out of food supplies

HH3) “The food that (I/we) bought just didn't last, and(l/we) didn't have money to get more.” Was that often,sometimes, or never true for (you/your household) inthe last 3 months?

2) Did the food that your family bought run out, and you didn’t have money to get more?

Low cost foods for children

CH1) “(I/we) relied on only a few kinds of low- cost food to feed ((my/our) child/the children) because (I was/we were) running out of money to buy food.” Was that often, sometimes, or never true for (you/your household) in the last 3 months?

3) Did your meals only include a few kinds of cheap foods because your family was running out of money to buy food?

Lack of a balanced diet for children

CH2) “(I/ We) couldn’t feed ((my/our) child/the children) a balanced meal because (I/we) couldn’t afford that.“ Was that often, sometimes, or never true for (you/your household) in the last 3 months?

4) How often were you not able to eat a balanced meal because your family didn’t have enough money?

Children not eating enough

CH3) “My/Our child was/The children were) not eatingenough because (I/we) just couldn't afford enoughfood.” Was that often, sometimes, or never true for(you/your household) in the last 3 months?

5) Did you have to eat less because your family didn’t have enough money to buy food?

Reduce children’s portion sizes

CH4) In the last 3 months, did you ever cut the size of(your child’s/any of the children’s) meals because therewasn't enough money for food?

6) Has the size of was your meals been cut because your family didn’t have enough money for food?

Children skip meals

CH5) In the last 3 months, did (CHILD’S NAME’ any of the children) ever skip meals because there wasn’t enough money for food?

7) Did you have to skip a meal because your family didn’t have enough money for food?

Children are hungry

CH6) In the last 3 months, (was your child/were the children) ever hungry but you just couldn’t afford more food?

8) Were you hungry but didn’t eat because your family didn’t have enough food?

Children go full day without eating

CH7) In the last 3 months, did (your child/any of the children) ever not eat for a whole day because there wasn’t enough money for food?

9) Did you not eat for a whole day because your family didn’t have enough money for food?