Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41645362›Full record

ArticleBMC nutrition2026

Food-related coping strategies against food insecurity among households in selected communities in South-East Nigeria.

G O Iheme, C R Ajuluchukwu, E M Okonkwo, A C Amaeze, H C Ezenwa, U C Akpasuo, C A Onyeagoro, O C Nzeagwu

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Article in BMC nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

G O IhemeDepartment of Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SE-751 22, Sweden. gideon.iheme@ikv.uu.se.
C R AjuluchukwuDepartment of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
E M OkonkwoDepartment of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
A C AmaezeDepartment of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
H C EzenwaDepartment of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
U C AkpasuoDepartment of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
C A OnyeagoroDepartment of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
O C NzeagwuDepartment of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDue to the heightened food insecurity levels experienced in low-income settings, many households resort to adopt various coping strategies. This study assessed the household food insecurity status and coping strategies in selected communities in South East Nigeria.

methodsA cross-sectional study design and multi-stage sampling technique were used to select 1244 households from six local government areas in the municipal city centres of Abia and Imo State. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and CARE/World Food Program Coping Strategy Index protocol were used to collect data on food security and food-related coping mechanisms, respectively. IBM SPSS version 25.0 was used to analyse the data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated, with p-values of < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

resultsThe findings indicated that more than half of the respondents were occasionally or frequently concerned about food (59.8%), unable to eat their favourite foods (57.3%), subject to food restrictions (55.5%), consumed unwanted foods (54.4%), reduced meal portions (57.2%), and ate fewer meals (55.1%) as a result of lack of resources or money. This culminated in the severe, moderate and mild food insecurity levels among 15%, 48.2% and 24.0% of the respondents. These food insecurity level have prompted the frequent adoption of dietary modifications and food restrictions as coping mechanisms. Coping strategies and food insecurity were significantly correlated (p < 0.01).

conclusionThe majority of households used coping mechanisms that reduced the quantity and quality of their food, as food insecurity was widespread. This highlights the need for targeted interventions to improve food security and strengthen household resilience to adopt safer and more sustainable coping strategies under prevailing circumstances.

Indexed as

Coping strategiesFood availabilityFood insecurityHouseholdsNigeria

Identifiers

PMID41645362
PMCPMC12930989

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.