NO RICE IN THE HOUSE: RISK FACTORS AND ASSOCIATION WITH NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF NEPALESE 9-13 YEAR OLDS. SHRESTHA R1, KLEMM R2, WEST K2 1. Nutrition Innovation Lab/JHU, Kathmandu, Nepal. 2. Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. Email address of corresponding author: rshrestha@nutritioninnovationlab.org.npBACKGROUND: Although research has shown a high prevalence of food insecurity and malnutrition in Nepal, there is very little research examining the factors associated with household food insecurity and the relationship of household food insecurity to the nutritional status of children.AIMS: The aim of the study is to examine the association between household characteristics and rice insecurity (defined as the presence or absence of rice stores in the household) as a measure of food insecurity and to explore the relationship between rice insecurity and the nutritional status of children 9 -13 year of age in a rural population in Sarlahi District of Nepal.METHODS: A secondary data analysis was conducted using a cross-sectional survey of 13,137 households with children between 9 to 13 years of age. The data contained information on household socio-demographic characteristics, household rice stores and mid-upper arm circumference of the children.RESULTS: 17.3% of the households had no rice stores and were classified as rice insecure. Caste, ethnicity, asset ownership, land ownership, household construction type and season were all significantly associated with rice insecurity (p