Association of household food security and nutritional status based on mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of woman in Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia

INTRODUCTION: Household food security is the potentiality in a household to supply the food needs of the household members. Nutritional status is one of the decisive factors in determining the circumstances of family food security. Food security in Indonesia is 62.2% below the global average. This study aimed to determine the association between household food security and nutritional status based on mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) in women 15–49 years old in Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This research uses a cross-sectional design. 101 women were included in a sample taken by random sampling technique. The respondents are mothers of toddlers who live in the Sangkrah and Semanggi regions in Surakarta. Food security data was obtained from the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) questionnaire, and nutritional status was measured by MUAC. Statistical tests to determine the association between variables use the chi-square test. RESULTS: In food-insecure households, 11.8% of women are malnourished (undernutrition), and 40% of families have low incomes. The research showed no association between income and nutritional status (p value = 0.562). There was an association between income and household food security (p value = 0.020) and no association between household food security and nutritional status (p value = 0.403). CONCLUSIONS: There is an association between income and household food security, but there is no significant association between household food security and the nutritional status of women in Sangkrah and Semanggi Village, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia.