Food Insecurity and Its Associates in a Village of Budge Budge II Block, West Bengal: A Mixed-Methods Approach

Background: Despite the enactment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and National Food Security Act, food insecurity in India has been growing. Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the current magnitude of food insecurity in a rural setting of West Bengal; to find out the association of food insecurity with the health and socio-demographic profile of the study population, if any; to explore their food situation and its various impacts on the study population; and to integrate the findings from the qualitative and quantitative strands. Methods: An observational study with a cross-sectional design using a mixed-methods approach was conducted in Muchisa. Two hundred and twelve households were selected through cluster random sampling for the quantitative strand. The participants were interviewed using a predesigned, pretested, and structured schedule from February 6–March 26, 2021. Qualitative data were collected from 10% of food-insecure households employing an in-depth interview guide. Statistical evaluation was done using Microsoft Office Excel 2007 and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 25.0. The data were analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-square test, Cochran–Armitage trend test, ordinal logistic regression, and thematic analysis. A P value of