What is Food Insecurity? How it Affects Us
What is food insecurity? You may think that this may not be important but every day, food security keeps plunging into our system and it keeps making this bad for us. Allow me to give you relevant insight into what food security is.
What is Food Insecurity?
Food insecurity occurs when people do not have access to the food needed for an active and healthy life. Reasons for food insecurity are many and complex, but one thing is certain: the best way to fight hunger is to provide everyone with financial security that ensures they can put food on the table.
The USDA officially coined the term “food insecurity.” This refers to when people are hungry and lack access to food regularly. They are often undernourished and don’t know when or from where they will have their next meal.
Food insecurity remains a significant domestic social problem in the United States, with 44 million people affected annually and 13 million consisting of children.
Millions of people who do not come close to the definition of food insecurity, among many others, also turn to the nonprofit food sector for help. Learn more about how America’s hunger is measured by Feeding America.
What are the Causes of Food Insecurity?
Food insecurity is not a personal failure; rather, it is a social problem that affects everyone. Our Elevating Voices Report indicates that people struggling with hunger also face high costs of living, expensive housing, joblessness, and low-wage employment.
1. Poverty and Joblessness
Individuals with limited economic resources may not have the money to purchase food regularly and may live in communities or neighborhoods where affordable, healthful food is not available.
2. Inaccessibility of Affordable Housing
Even with good financial management and savings, one may still not have enough money left over to buy food. This is because shelter is extremely expensive.
3. Chronic Health Issues
A chronic health condition may make a person’s potential to earn a decent living challenging. Again, they will be burdened by vast medical expenses.
4. Racism and Discrimination
Systematic discrimination and poverty lead to increased rates of food insecurity in communities of color, LGBTQ individuals, and persons with disabilities.
Even the stable income earner with access to low-cost housing can experience food insecurity with a temporary setback—a job loss, medical emergency, natural disaster, or family crisis.
What are the Effects of Food Insecurity?
Insufficient access to adequate quantities of nutrition-rich food can set people back in health and well-being.
1. Physical Health
Chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, as well as malnutrition, are common in people with food insecurity.
2. Mental Health
Inadequate access to food also contributes to distorting their mental health with stress, anxiety, and depression.
3. Well-being
This can lead to social withdrawal, shame, and stigma, especially when basic needs such as food and shelter are not provided for.
4. School and Work
When there is insufficient food, people experiencing food insecurity may become forgetful, easily distracted, lethargic, or too sick to work or go to school.
Some of the factors that result in food insecurity include poor salaries, lack of jobs, and poverty. Food security therefore ensures there is increasing food availability within the surrounding localities to ensure that people experiencing food insecurity get the necessary foodstuffs and other products.
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