Food Insecurity

By Amelia Rinker
What is Food Insecurity?


The USDA defines food insecurity as
meaning consistent access to food is
limited by lack of money and other
resources at times during the year.
Who is affected by this?
Those suffering from food insecurity
Producers/distributors of food frequently available in
food pantries or via the food stamp program.
Taxpayers/ donors
Why is this a problem?
Wide range of consequences
Limited choices of food
Little access to healthy or nutritionally dense foods
Long-term consequences of poor nutrition
o heart disease, diabetes, etc.
o Almost all associated conditions generally require hospitalization as
well as prolonged prescription medication

Area Consequence
Physical
impairment
Hunger Depletion Illness
Psychological
suffering
Constrained to go against held norms and values To be stressed (e.g., fear of losing
custody of a child)
Sociofamilial
perturbations
Modification of eating patterns and ritual Disrupted household dynamics Distorted
means of food acquisition and management
TABLE 1
Consequences of food insecurity at the household level by areas
"Food Insecurity: Consequences for the Household and Broader Social Implications." Food Insecurity: Consequences for the Household
and Broader Social Implications. Journal of Nutrtition, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.

Influences on Food
Insecurity
Poverty
Food Deserts
Unstable employment
Monetary Limitations
Whats the challenge?
The challenge for the field of nutritional sciences is to
examine how food insecurity interacts with poverty
status to influence important health outcomes and
overall quality of life.



Olson, Christine M. "Journal of Nutrition." Nutrition and Health Outcomes Associated with Food Insecurity and Hunger.
American Society for Nutrition, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.

Whats being done?
Research on risk factors, influences and indicators
Spreading awareness and expanding resources

Works Cited
"Food Insecurity: Consequences for the Household and Broader Social Implications." Food Insecurity:
Consequences for the Household and Broader Social Implications. Journal of Nutrtition, n.d. Web. 24
Apr. 2014.
Olson, Christine M. "Journal of Nutrition." Nutrition and Health Outcomes Associated with Food
Insecurity and Hunger. American Society for Nutrition, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome
Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed: On (not) Getting by in America. New York: Metropolitan, 2001.
Print.



Questions?