Construction of the Australian food security tool

Based on the themes identified, nine potential items for inclusion in the food security tool were compiled utilising components of existing measures of food security (US Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module, Radimer/Cornell Food Security Scale, New Zealand National Health Survey food security questions). Items were combined in ascending order of ‘severity’, ranging from the experience of anxiety or worry that food may run out, to adults or children skipping meals or going an entire day without eating due to an inability to acquire food. This draft tool took into consideration the focus group findings relating to the level at which food security should be measured, issues with current measures, themes that should be included and items missing from existing measures.