Measure Of Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is the “state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food,” according to the Oxford Dictionary. It is a widespread problem on college campuses across the nation. While food insecurity only impacts 14% of households, 48% of college students claim to be food insecure. This problem disproportionately impacts first generation college students, students of color, and students who need financial aid, as noted by the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness.

Food insecurity is when a person does not have access to an abundance of food, and when the little food they do have, is not nutritious (Ruane). One of the big steps in lowering the food insecurity rate, is making the public more aware of the issue. If we started showing the world more facts about this issue, more would be done to lower the problem. If we stated the fact that one of every six people suffer from food insecurity in the United States alone (Coleman), maybe it would spark people to become more active and do more to help. The one of every six people fact is just in the United States. This issue strikes at home, not just in underdeveloped countries in Africa like we think. It is startling to know that food insecurity occurs in every community across the United States

According to Feeding America, statistics show that 43.1 million people in the United States in 2015 are in poverty, including 14.5 million children. When we think of that number of people in poverty we know that living in poverty directly relates to food insecurity. A slightly higher number of people are food

Food insecurity is a term that was introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA labels the insecurity based on the severity with four different groups. One group is the Low Food Security; which means low quality, desirability or variety but no or little reduction of food. Very Low Food Security is reduced food intake and multiple disruptions of eating patterns. The opposite spectrum is High Food Security. This is no food limitations or no issues accessing food. Marginal food security is sufficient supply of food with some concern of ability to supply. (USDA, https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/definitions-of-food-security.aspx).

Food insecurity causes health issues such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and early mortality among young single mothers. According to author Christine A. Stevens young single mothers are affected by food insecurity in two ways “first, the stress of food insecurity can lead to compounding issues of depression for this mother, second, food choice.” Factors that assist these problems are socioeconomic status and the ability to obtain adequate nutrition. These young single mothers do not have enough money to give nutritional food to their families. With limited money they do not have a choice for nutritional food and according to Stevens are forced to buy “inexpensive, high fat, high carbohydrates food” (Stevens 163). In

Food security is a basic human right, which is essential for life. It exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for a healthy and active lifestyle [Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), 1996]. Food insecurity at household level can be referred to not having sufficient food; experiencing hunger as a result of running out of food and being unable to afford more; eating a poor-quality diet as a result of limited food options; anxiety about acquiring food; or having to rely on food relief (Rychetnik et al, 2003). At community level, food security also depends on the availability and affordability of a variety of food items sold through retail and other food resources [United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2015a]. The geographical areas where accessibility to affordable and healthy food (especially fresh fruits and

When tackling the subject of food insecurity, uncertainty is the key notion. Many of us live our lives fleeing from the term; however, some Americans know this awareness as their existence. Food insecurity simply means the lack of the ability to provide food and sustain a healthy lifestyle. The USDA explains, “It is a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food;” adequate food being the key word. The USDA further goes on to categorize it into two sub categories; low and very low food security. “Low food security” is explained as “reduced quality, variety of diet; little or no indication of reduced food intake.” “Very low food security is multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns

Food insecurity is the condition in which people live in hunger or fear of starvation (around a billion people live in this condition). The regions that have the most food insecurity are South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2011, 20.6% of households with children in the U.S. have experienced food insecurity and it has been associated with negative health and development outcomes including more frequent common illnesses, iron-deficiency anemia, overweight or obese status, increased likelihood of hospitalization, increase risk of developmental delays, and lower physical and psychosocial functioning (DeMartini, Beck, Kahn & Klein, 2013, p. 1182).

When analyzing a certain population with concerns, an individual must consider all factors that lead to a certain outcome. Having an adequate diet and being able to access food is important for development and healthy living (Morin, 2014). Morin (2014) states that food insecurity and security are defined when analyzing the context of a household in terms of a scale. Food security is placed at the high end or near the high end of the scale where there is an ease of accessibility to safe and nutritious foods, no anxiety related to accessing food, healthy eating patterns and being able to attain food without utilizing food banks, stealing or foraging through garbage. In contrast, food insecurity is at the other end of the scale in which food security is low or very low (Morin, 2014). Food insecurity is defined as having a limitation or uncertain availability of food that is nutritional and safe to consume or having a limitation or uncertain way of acquiring food that is acceptable by society (Schroeder & Smaldone, 2015). Assessment in a low-income population group reveals that the issue of food insecurity is one that is most prominent (Brown, Noonan & Nord, 2007). This research shows that food insecurity has a direct relationship with poverty, socio-economic status and low income. Although the issue of food insecurity is global, the focus of this analysis will be on the low-income population in developed countries.

Justification / Feasibility Studies have suggested that there are specific ties between food insecurity and student success rate. (Cady, 2014) Among college students, financial hardship can translate into budget demand that directly competes with food dollars (Patton-López, López-Cevallos, Cancel-Tirado, & Vazquez, 2014). Research has shown that food insecurity has shown a reduction in physical and mental health, which in turn, diminishes an individual’s ability to learn, work and care for themselves and reduces social participation (Hughes, Serebryanikova, Donaldson, & Leveritt, 2011). Research is necessary to also show the need to expand programs on college campus and further the support systems that increase access to nutritious food for the college population (Patton-López, López-Cevallos, Cancel-Tirado, & Vazquez,

Food insecurity is a broad topic which relates to a state in which an individual or individuals do not have reliable and safe access to foods in which are deemed healthy, accessible and reasonably priced. According to a study conducted by statistics Canada approximately four million individuals in Canada are considered food insecure. Literature has also suggested that food insecurity is a contributing factor to the rise of chronic diseases, example of these include diabetes, obesity and cancer. In addition, food insecurity has also been correlated with poor mental health outcomes such as anxiety issues, mood alterations, depressive episodes and impulsive behaviours. These mental health outcomes can be physiological and psychological

population, however, one in nine are food insecure. Food security, defined by the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security is “the condition in which all people, at all times, have physical, economic and social access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life.” Developing countries are most at risk of food insecurity with Sub-Saharan Africa having the highest prevalence of hunger.

Food security described as having access to enough food for a healthy life. Americans living with food insecurity are uncertain of having enough food to provide for household members due to insufficient funds or other resources for food. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, very low food security is considered a food insecurity in which access to food is severely restricted. Hunger is described as a physical discomfort from not consuming food and can occur episodically but is possible to be the result of severe or protracted food insecurity. In Mississippi around 2007, about 29% of minorities were food insecure. According to the Feeding America network, African Americans are more likely to suffer from food insecurity.

The definition of food security is when all members of a group; a household, a city, a country, etc., have access to plentiful food that is clean and nutritious. That being said, food insecurity is when these conditions are not met. Food insecurity is an issue in many developing countries, and is caused by many factors. For instance, the lack of agricultural technology to put land to use that isn't ideal for farming, or land degradation: overuse of the land, without taking conservative measures. While some causes of under-production of food are fixable, some are not. With