Validating Food Security Measurement in a Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool (Nutristep®)

The Nutrition Screening Tool for Every Preschooler (NutriSTEP (R)) is a 17-item nutrition-screening tool administered to parents. This study validated the food security question in the NutriSTEP (R) against the Household Food Security Survey (HESS) and the Hunger Vital Sign. Parents (n = 55) of Head Start preschoolers answered an online survey that included the NutriSTEP (R), the Hunger Vital Sign, and the HFSS. All of the tools identified over 40% of the participants experienced food insecurity. The food security question in the NutriSTEP (R) had 82.1% sensitivity and 94.1% specificity when compared against the HFSS reference standard. The NutriSTEP (R) adequately identified children with food insecurity.