RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Food insecurity continues to be a problem throughout the world. When estimating food insecurity, few studies analyze the contexts where the phenomenon takes place. By bearing in mind levels of marginalization in four states of Mexico, this paper answers two questions: (I) What problems are experienced with access to food, and how these difficulties affect the amount of food consumed in households? and (II) How do households experience the concern of running out of food? METHODS: Our qualitative study draws data from urban and semi-urban areas of four Mexican states: Mexico City, Tamaulipas, the State of Mexico, and Oaxaca. Each state presents different levels of well-being. The study's participants are selected using the snowball method. Eligibility criteria are based on demographic characteristics such as education, age, and gender. A thematic analytical approach is conducted to analyze collected data from a total of 212 semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: The study's findings indicate that concern of food scarcity is a generalized feeling among participants across different levels of marginalization. Individuals with stable jobs living in contexts of low levels of marginalization experience worriedness when their budgets tightened before the end of the payday, a bi-weekly payment format, named the quincena in México. This psychological state of mind changes through the payday cycle, a period when the direct relationship between food accessibility and consumption weakens. In response, individuals develop strategies to cope with the uncertainty of experiencing food insecurity, such as rationing food portions and/or hoarding food supplies. Even when food accessibility exists, interviewees identify insufficient income as the primary issue in contexts of low and very low levels of marginalization. CONCLUSIONS: Conclusive remarks drawn from our analysis underline the importance of the context of marginalization in influencing households' experiences with food insecurity. At the quincena's end, food insecurity increases, even in contexts of very low marginalization. Our study calls for rethinking the scales employed to measure food insecurity, specifically the questions related to fear of food scarcity. Coping strategies are implemented by surveyed individuals to resolve issues and repercussions that emerge from experiencing food insecurity differ by context of marginalization.

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RESUMO

Avaliar o valor reforçador do alimento sob diferentes tempos de privação; até 4 horas (grupo tempo 1 - GT1) e mais de 4 horas (grupo tempo 2 - GT2), em mulheres e homens eutróficos e com excesso de peso, classificados pelo índice de massa corporal (IMC). Foram ouvidos 258 adultos, sendo 126 homens e 132 mulheres (18 - 50 anos), foram divididos em GT1 ou GT2. Após classificarem a fome pela escala analógica visual 100 mm, realizaram um jogo desenvolvido para este estudo (software Food or Fun 1.0), onde deveriam trabalhar para ganhar pontos em alimento ou lazer. Na amostra geral o relato de fome diferiu estatisticamente (p<0,001) entre GT1 (42,4 ± 25,9) e GT2 (60,2 ± 22,4) assim como a pontuação em alimentos (GT1=26,7 ± 23,5; GT2=35,2 ± 23,4; p<0,001), demonstrando uma tendência diretamente proporcional ao tempo de privação em ambos os sexos. Uma correlação negativa significativa foi encontrada entre IMC e pontos em alimentos para a amostra geral (r=-0,16; p=0,013) e do sexo feminino (r=-0,18; p=0,040). O valor reforçador do alimento aumentou concomitantemente com o tempo de privação e IMC apresentou uma correlação inversa à pontuação em alimentos.

Current paper evaluates the reinforcing value of food at different deprivation periods: up to 4 h (Group Time 1 - GT1) and more than 4 h (Group Time 2 - GT2), in eutrophic females and males, weight excess, classified by Body Mass Index (BMI). Divided into GT1 and GT 2, 258 adults, 126 males and 132 females, age bracket 18 -50 years, were interviewed. After the classification of fasting by the 100m visual analogical scale, a game was developed for current study (software Food or Fun 1.0), in which they had to work for scores in food or fun. Within the general sample, there was a statistical difference in fasting (p<0.001) between GT1 (42.4 ± 25.9) and GT2 (60.2 ± 22.4) and in feeding scores (GT1=26.7 ± 23.5; GT2=35.2 ± 23.4; p<0.001), with a proportional trend to deprivation time in both genders. A significant negative co-relationship was detected between BMI and feeding scores for general sample (r=-0.16; p=0.013) and females (r=-0.18; p=0.040). Reinforcing value of feeding increased concomitantly with privation period and BMI had an inverse co-relationship to feeding scores.

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