Gender, household food security, and dietary diversity in western Honduras

There is a growing body of evidence on the correlation between women’s empowerment and nutritional and other development goals. To date, little of this research has focused on Latin America, where women’s disempowerment, poverty and food insecurity are generally less severe. In western Honduras, however, more than two-thirds of women are disempowered and lack adequate dietary diversity, and nearly half of children are stunted. We surveyed 953 individuals in 562 households to identify association between aspects of women’s empowerment and food security and dietary diversity. Those who live in households where women have access to credit or control over income have a somewhat more diverse diet, and those with women’s access to credit are also less likely to experience moderate to severe food insecurity.