Feeding America defines food insecurity as, “is the consistent lack of food to have a healthy life because of your economic situation.”  Hunger is, “is the feeling someone has when they don’t have food.”  Feeding America is one of the leading national nonprofits that, “is working to end hunger by addressing food insecurity. “  This week, we are not here promoting Feeding America, however if you chose to do so, please of course go to FeedingAmerica.org .   And Feeding America is one of the best resources for this particular topic.

According to Healthy People 2030, in 2020, 13.8 million households were food insecure at some time during the year, according to some sources this could have been due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Food insecurity does not necessarily cause hunger/starvation, but hunger is one of the possible outcomes of food insecurity.  The USDA defines food insecurity into 2 categories, low food security, which is having a reduced quality or variety of food options, therefore you intake less.   The second is very low food securitywhich is multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduce food intake. Both could be due to lack of produce, substantial food choices, local grocery stores, the inability to buy due to work termination or general lack of funds (i.e. college student), lack of transportation to a grocery store and so on and so forth.

Food insecurity could be short term or long term depending on the circumstances of each person and each household.  According to the USDA, as of 2021, U.S. households are reporting the following food insecurity indicators:

Food insecurity can have a number of negative effects such as, but not limited to, anemia, lower nutrient intakes, cognitive issues, aggression, anxiety, high risk of hospitalization, poor general health, behavioral issues, depression, oral health, and so on.

The fight against food insecurity is an on-going struggle, universities and colleges are playing their part to combat it by opening up on-campus food pantries, and there are programs in place like SNAP, you have food panties/banks and sustainable food delivery services- like Imperfect/Misfit Foods that bring fresh affordable groceries to certain areas.  As a society we are clearly working to combat it, but it will more than likely remain an on-going struggle within our society.

References

FEEDING AMERICA. “Understanding Hunger and Food Insecurity | Feeding America.” Feedingamerica.org, Feeding America, 2018, www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/food-insecurity.

Food insecurity. Food Insecurity – Healthy People 2030. https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/food-insecurity. Accessed March 13, 2023.

Gundersen C, Ziliak JP. Food Insecurity And Health Outcomes. Health Affairs. 2015;34(11). doi:https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0645

USDA. “USDA ERS – Definitions of Food Security.” http://Www.ers.usda.gov, 8 Sept. 2021, http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-u-s/definitions-of-food-security/.