Network scale-up (NSU) with an indirect approach is one of the best data collection methods about hidden populations. →What this article adds: Assessment of the community to understand its health status, concerns, and the provision of health services is done through knowledge, data collection, analysis, and dissemination on the characteristics, strengths, resources, and needs of the community, with the help of community members.

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Background: To investigate the status of household food security and factors affecting it among 2-6 years old children in an urban area in the southeast of Iran.Methods: A community-based survey was conducted from September to January 2018 on 450 children aged 2-6 years who were selected using stratified cluster random sampling. They lived in six different areas in an urban area in the southeast of Iran. Data was collected using the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Security questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Results: The prevalence of food insecurity among children was 81.7% consisting of 2.6% without hunger, 9.2% with moderate hunger and 96.9% with severe hunger. The weight gains of those children who were in the insecurity group without hunger was 2.63 times lower than those children in the food security group. Also, chances of weight gain in the insecurity group without hunger and in the insecurity group with moderate hunger were less as 1.91 and 1.41 times, respectively.Conclusions: Food insecurity in children aged 2-6 years was influenced by various socio-demographic factors. Therefore, policy-makers should plan for improving the quality of life and health of the children through improving their food security.