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Book (series)Methodological issues in the estimation of the prevalence of undernourishment based on dietary energy consumption data: A review and clarification 2014
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No results found.Sukhatme had in the early 1960’s originally formulated the estimate of the proportion of undernourished in a population (PU) within a bivariate distribution framework where dietary energy consumption (DEC) and dietary energy requirement (DER) are considered as random variables. However, in the absence of data on DEC and DER of individuals expressed in the form of bivariate distribution, Sukhatme had suggested a formula that considers the part of the distribution of DEC below a cut-off point repr esenting the lower limit of the distribution of DER as an estimate of PU. However, this univariate approach has been criticised as yielding an underestimate of the magnitude of the prevalence undernourishment in a population. In response to this critic, Sukhatme has attempted to justify the approach by invoking the theory of intra-individual changes in DER. As this theory has led to a controversy rather than a clarification of the univariate approach, doubts regarding its validity still prevail. Following a review of these developments including the concept of DER, this article shows that the formulation of PU within the bivariate distribution framework is inappropriate. Subsequently, the relevance of the univariate approach is clarified. Finally, the article addresses certain issues relating to practical estimation of the prevalence measures based on household rather than individual data pertaining to DEC. -
DocumentThe Probability Distribution Framework for estimating the Prevalence of Undernourishment
Exploding the Myth of the Bivariate Distribution
2007Also available in:
No results found.In his pioneering study carried in the early 1960’s, Sukhatme had formulated the estimate of the prevalence of undernourishment in a population within a bivariate distribution framework where dietary energy consumption (DEC) and dietary energy requirement (DER) are considered as random variables. The evaluation of the formula required the specification of the joint distribution of DEC and DER. In the absence of data on the joint distribution Sukhatme had, as an approximation, formulate d the estimate within a univariate distribution framework involving the distribution of DEC and a cut-off point reflecting the lower limit of the distribution of DER. FAO’s methodology for estimating the prevalence of undernourishment has been traditionally based on this univariate distribution framework. However, since this approach appeared to ignore the risk of undernourishment at DEC levels overlapping the range of variation of requirement, it has been criticised as yielding an und erestimate of the magnitude of the problem of undernourishment. In view of this some analysts have attempted to apply the bivariate distribution framework by modeling the joint distribution of intake and requirement. Others have applied the univariate distribution framework but used the average DER requirement rather than the lower limit of the distribution of DER as the cut-off point. All these attempts have led to very high estimates of the prevalence of undernourishment. In further studies undertaken in the 1970’s Sukhatme has attempted to justify the univariate distribution framework that he proposed earlier by postulating the theory of intra-individual variation in energy requirement which implies that an individual cannot be considered to be undernourished or overnourished as long as his or her DEC is within the range of variation of DER. -
Book (stand-alone)Integrating Food Security Information in National Statistical Systems
Experiences, Achievements, Challenges
2012Also available in:
No results found.FAO has a global mandate to monitor progress made towards achieving the targets on hunger set by the MDG in 2000 and the WFS in 1996. It tracks this progress by providing regular estimates of the proportion and number of people whose daily dietary energy consumption (DEC) is less than the minimum daily dietary energy requirement (MDER). The methodology for estimating hunger, or the prevalence of undernourishment indicator, is a parametric approach based on the distribution of DEC. It uses agricultural and food data derived from several sources such as trade, crop surveys, national household income and expenditure surveys, etc. Global hunger estimates are based on food security indicators from each of the following three main pillars of food security: food availability, food access and food utilization. Those indicators are, respectively: the average dietary energy available for human consumption; the inequality measure of food access, which is the coefficient of variation (CV) of DEC; and a measure of food utilization, which is the MDER. Country hunger estimates use production and trade data provided by national institutions, as well as food consumption data from NHS, to derive those three food security indicators.
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