Poverty, household food insecurity and nutrition: Coping strategies in an informal settlement in the Vaal Triangle, South Africa

SummaryObjectivesThe objective of this study was to determine household food security and coping strategies of an informal settlement in the Vaal Triangle.Study designA survey study design was used.MethodsPre-tested socio-demographic questionnaires were administered to 357 randomly selected caregivers and 149 children aged 9–13 years old. A validated quantified food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) and 24-h recall were used to measure dietary intake and food consumption patterns and the Cornell hunger scale to determine coping strategies. Data were statistically analysed for means and standard deviations.ResultsThe results indicated that the majority of caregivers (68.8%) had an income of