Acceptable Food consumption Score (FCS)

Indicator Name % of households with acceptable Food Consumption Score (FCS)
Indicator ID in PRIME IN00048063

Definition

Definition

The Food Consumption Score (FCS) is a composite score reflected as a percentage based on dietary diversity, food frequency, and the relative nutritional importance of different food groups. It is a proxy indicator for food intake.

This indicator is gauged through the use of surveys, and the following should be noted:
- Country adaptation: The FCS questionnaire module should be adapted for each unique setting so that common, local foods are included in each food category in the questionnaire. The food groups, however, cannot be changed.
- Food inclusion and exclusion criteria: The respondent should be instructed to include foods consumed by household members in the home or foods prepared in the home but consumed away from home (e.g., lunch prepared at home but consumed in the fields or at the place of employment). In rare cases, however, food purchased and consumed away from home may be included in the FCS questionnaire; this may be appropriate in country contexts where all or the majority of meals are consumed away from home by some or all household members. Clearly document in the PIRS which consumption patterns are included or excluded so subsequent surveys will use the same protocol and data may be interpreted, corrected, and compared.
Numerator

Number of respondents whose households have a Food Consumption Score above the threshold in a survey
Denominator

All respondents to the survey

Recommended Means of Verification

This indicator is measured using individual interviews with a representative sample of target household representatives, assessing how many days in the past 7 days the household members have eaten foods from any of the 9 predefined food groups.
Use the following question:
"I would like to ask you about all the different foods that your household members have eaten in the last 7 days, either inside or outside the home. How many days in the past 7 days have most of your household members eaten ..." [name the foods included in the first food group, then continue asking the same question about foods from the following food groups].

To calculate the FCS, the consumption frequencies are summed and multiplied by the standardized food group weight. Households are then classified into three groups based on their weighted scores—poor, borderline, or acceptable—using the World Food Program recommended cutoff points (or approved, country-specific cutoff points if these have been established). A household is defined as a person or group of persons who usually live and eat together.

To calculate the percentage of households with “acceptable” FCS, divide the number of households with FCS scores higher than 35 by the total number of surveyed households. Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

Indicator Attributes

Indicator Prioritisation Global Indicator
Level of Indicator Outcome
Indicator Context Type Quantitative
Theme Child Poverty
Sub Theme Food Security and Livelihoods
Common Approach Resourcing Families for Better Nutrition, Household Economy Analysis
Context Humanitarian/Emergency, Development

Measurement Guidance 

Frequency of Data Collection Annually
Unit of Measure Households
Data Format Percent
Direction of Desired Change Increasing
Number of Decimal Points Zero
Nature Cumulative

Tools

Kobo

SURV_CPOV_MCPA_PDM TOOL_En/Fr/Es_2022_01 | KoboToolbox (savethechildren.net)
Kobo Form Questions

"In the past week, approximately how many days has your household eaten cereals and tubers?"
Same question with other food categories
Other Survey Tool

MPCA PDM Survey: Food Consumption Score (FCS) section:
https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/MPCA-PDM-Survey-Template.xlsx/

This guidance was prepared by Sayeed Shahzada ©
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