How Much Does the Food Insecurity Experience Scale Overlap with Poor Food Consumption and Monetary Poverty? Evidence from West Africa

The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), which combines three food-access dimensions into a single indicator, is rapidly being incorporated into national statistical systems. However, there is no prediction about how one of the incorporated dimensions—subjective experiences associated with food insecurity—overlaps with poor food consumption. Using data from West Africa, this study illustrates that in 4 out of 10 countries, there is a similar prevalence of food insecurity according to the FIES among segments of the population that are likely undernourished and segments that are likely not undernourished. And in 5 out of 10 countries, there is a relatively large prevalence of food insecurity according to the FIES in the segments of the population that are least likely to be undernourished. Combined, the results offer guidance to policymakers when choosing food-access indicators and illustrate the importance of using the FIES along with other food-access measures.