With over 44 million people in the United States facing food insecurity in 2022, this is a critical problem facing our communities. This complex challenge touches on issues of access, stability, and nutritional quality.
Makenna Lenover, MPH
Imagine waking up in the morning, not knowing where your next meal will come from. This is the reality for those facing food insecurity. While the pangs of hunger, brought on by an empty stomach or pantry, often accompany those who are food insecure, food insecurity can be defined as more than just a void, it is an uncertainty. The USDA defines it as an “economic and social condition with limited or uncertain access to adequate food”, and the inability to access sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for an active and healthy life. With this, hunger is the consequence.
In a society of seeming food abundance, it may be hard to believe people are food insecure. In 2022, 44 million people in the United States faced food insecurity, but in tandem, 38% of all food in the country was wasted. This equates to a shocking 145 billion meals thrown away. This dichotomy of need and waste illuminates deep structural issues within our food system fueling food insecurity. Food insecurity both causes and drives poverty. Low-income individuals face the highest burden of food insecurity due to structural and financial constraints. For many, the uncertainty of a next meal is rooted in the inability to purchase it, whether that be due to monetary or environmental constraints, like lack of transportation to a grocery store. Those who are food insecure, and consequentially hungry, ultimately face a variety of health and social consequences which continue to drive poverty. One study found that people perceive and experience food insecurity as trauma, which then drives rates of mental illness and chronic disease. This leads to increased healthcare costs, while also economically burdening individuals into a state of financial instability.
Who Is Food Insecure?
Over 44 million people in the United States experience food insecurity, and many individuals and households across the demographic spectrum are affected. However, certain groups face higher risk due to systemic discrimination and poverty, including marginalized populations like people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and those with disabilities. Additionally, elderly individuals, including those on fixed incomes or dealing with health issues, are at elevated risk. Children are a particularly vulnerable population, with 1 in 5 children living in food insecure households. Single parent households and single mothers are at even greater risk of experiencing food insecurity, compounding this risk. While 100% of counties in the United States experience food insecurity, there are concerning trends within Philadelphia, our own backyard. As of 2021, 13.6% of Philadelphia County faced food insecurity. An estimated 32% of food insecure individuals were not eligible for SNAP benefits. In North Philadelphia, the rate of food insecurity was much higher, with one study reporting a 36.9% rate.
Three Pillars of Food Insecurity
Food insecurity is a complex challenge that goes beyond the immediate lack of food to touch on deeper issues of access, stability, and nutritional quality.
Food Access
To eliminate uncertainty, a driver of food insecurity, efforts to increase food access are a must. This includes eliminating food deserts, or low-income places where 1/3 of the population (or at least 500 people) live either over ½ mile away from a supermarket in urban areas, or 10 miles away in rural areas. About 6% of the population live in a food desert, and these areas reflect a greater trend of
exclusion and marginalization. The food access distribution network should strive to increase access to affordable, healthy food options in underserved areas.
Nutrition Quality & Equality
Addressing food insecurity does not simply mean increasing the availability of food, but providing culturally competent and nutritive solutions ensuring everyone has access to food that respects dietary needs and cultural preferences. Not only does providing nutritious, high-quality foods to all address greater societal health burdens of chronic disease, but also, respecting and celebrating food culture within communities builds long-term, sustainable food system resilience.
Stability & Enhanced Assistance
SNAP, WIC, and other programs designed to provide nutritional assistance can increase nutritional stability, spur economic growth, and reduce food insecurity, though these programs require expansion to adequately meet needs. These programs must respect the diverse dietary and cultural needs of all, including expanding eligible food products and streamlining the process of accessing these programs.
Food insecurity is a dynamic and complex issue, moving beyond hunger into the realm of uncertainty. Unfortunately, far more common than we realize, food insecurity affects many, even those in our own backyard. While a solvable issue, food insecurity requires complex solutions that address access, quality, and stability.
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