Saúde Soc. São Paulo, v.31, n.4, e210617en, 2022 1 DOI 10.1590/S0104-12902022210617en Original articles Food insecurity in households in Pernambuco, Northeast region of Brazil: contributions to the discussion on the violation of the right to adequate food Situação de insegurança alimentar em domicílios de Pernambuco, Região Nordeste do Brasil: contribuições para discussão da violação do direito à alimentação 1 1 Study fnanced through funds from the National Council for Scientifc and Technological Development (CNPq) – Public Call of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations/CNPq No. 14/2013 – and the Foundation for Support to Science and Technology of the State of Pernambuco (FACEPE) – Aid for Research Project/FACEPE 20/2014. Correspondence Catarine Santos da Silva Av. Rio Branco, s/n. Santa Cruz, RN, Brasil. CEP 59200-000. Catarine Santos da Silva a https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2120-9730 E-mail: catarine.nutri@yahoo.com.br; catarine.santos@ufrn.br Marilia de Carvalho Lima b https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4993-2584 E-mail: mlima@ufpe.br Juliana Souza Oliveira c https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1449-8930 E-mail: juliana_nutricao@yahoo.com.br Fernanda Cristina de Lima Pinto Tavares d https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2118-7268 E-mail: fernanda_nutri200@yahoo.com.br Vanessa Sá Leal c https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9492-2580 E-mail: vanessasaleal@yahoo.com.br Flávio Luiz Schieck Valente e https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5062-1911 E-mail: fsvalente@yahoo.com Pedro Israel Cabral de Lira f https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1534-1620 E-mail: lirapicpe@gmail.com Malaquias Batista Filho g https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1490-0590 E-mail: malaquias.imip@gmail.com a Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde do Trairi. Curso de Nutrição. Santa Cruz, RN, Brasil. b Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Centro de Ciências da Saúde. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde da Criança e do Adolescente. Recife, PE, Brasil. c Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Centro Acadêmico de Vitória. Núcleo de Nutrição. Vitória de Santo Antão, PE, Brasil. d Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Centro de Ciências da Saúde. Departamento de Nutrição. Recife, PE, Brasil. e Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Centro de Ciências da Saúde. Centro de Ciência e Tecnologia em Soberania e Segurança Alimentar do Nordeste. Recife, PE, Brasil. f Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Centro de Ciências da Saúde. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Nutrição. Recife, PE, Brasil. g Instituto de Medicina Integral Professor Fernando Figueira. Departamento de Pesquisa em Nutrição. Recife, PE, Brasil. Abstract This study aimed to investigate factors associated with food insecurity in households in the state of Pernambuco, in the Northeast region of Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study carried out in 1,008 private households. The investigation used the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (EBIA) and analyzed associations with socioeconomic and demographic variables, as well as practices related to eating. Prevalence ratio and adjustment were calculated using Poisson regression, and associations where p 0.05 were statistically signifcant. Food insecurity prevalence was 68.4%. Variables associated with insecurity were: education of the head of the family; per capita income; participation in the Bolsa Família Program; number of residents; occupation of the household; social class; practices and opinions about family eating habits. The greatest insecurity risk was found in those with the worst economic conditions, in benefciaries of the Bolsa Família Program and in those who considered the lack of ultra-processed products to improve the family’s diet. Food insecurity was linked to conditions of social vulnerability and to those who did not perceive that they had a good diet. Most of the subjects reported using resources of the Bolsa Família program to purchase food, which reinforces the importance of this strategy in promoting access to food. Keywords: Food Security; Food Assistance; Socioeconomic Factors; Social Inequality.