In this study, 60 fishermen households were purposively selected from four villages namely Satpar, Tetulia, Lakkhipur and Telivita of Gopalganj Sadar Upazila in Gopalganj district. The required data were collected during the January to March, 2013. A purposive sampling technique was followed in this study. Descriptive analysis was used to describe the socio-economic variables. Multiple regression analysis was carried out to determine the factors influencing calorie intake in individual levels. Food consumption scores were also used to determine calorie intake levels. To estimate the factors influencing calorie intake the required model was used which was specified as:
Y = a +b1x1+b2x2+b3x3+b4x4+b5x5+b6x6+ei ..........................(i)
Where,
Y = Calorie intake per day per person
x1 = Income of the household
x2 = Education level of the respondent
x3 = Age of the respondent
x4 = Family size
x5 = Cultivable Area
x6 = Rent in Area
a = Constant
b = Regression co-efficient
ei = Error term
Food consumption scores (FCS)
In order to measure food security, food consumption score (WFP-2009) was used in this study. The FCS is a frequency weighted diet diversity score calculated using the frequency of consumption of different food groups consumed by a household during the 7 days before the survey. In the Table 1 describes the Food groups and their weight through calculation steps.
Calculation steps:
I. Using standard Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) 7-day food frequency data group all the food items into specific food groups.
II. Sum all the consumption frequencies of food items of the same group, and record the value of each group above 7 as 7.
III. Multiply the value obtained for each food group by its weight (see food group weights in table below) and creates new weighted food group scores.
IV. Sum the weighed food group scores, thus creating the food consumption score (FCS)
V. Using the appropriate thresholds, record the variable food consumption score, from a continuous variable to a categorical variable. These are the standard Food Groups and current standard weights used in all analysis.