Crash Course in Food Insecurity
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals call for the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger by 2030. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the world currently produces enough food to feed the current human population, yet 815 million people remain food insecure. The growing world population is estimated to be around 10 billion people by 2050, which will require a 50% increase in food production to meet nutritional needs. One of the most important challenges today is to develop solutions to sustainably and nutritiously feed the human population. To galvanize support and achieve this goal, there is a need to educate citizens regarding the complexity of food insecurity and the impact to people of all ages and demographics in every country. A better understanding of food insecurity enables the creation of holistic policies and solutions that aim to sustainably address food insecurity.
There is some confusion between the use of the terms “hunger” and “food insecurity”. It is important to understand why each term is specifically used and in what context. Food insecurity is best defined as “a state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food” and hunger “refers to a potential consequence of food insecurity that, because of prolonged, involuntary lack of food, results in discomfort, illness, weakness, or pain that goes beyond the usual uneasy sensation.” The term hunger is typically used to describe an “individual-level physiological condition”, which is difficult to quantify by researchers and surveyors who want to review an accurate depiction of food availability in a large population. The term food insecurity provides a clearer guideline for researchers to measure if a population should be considered food insecure. Data from this research can then be used to form policies that target specific barriers to food security.
The United States Department of Agriculture utilizes four ranges to measure food security.
● High Food Security defined as “no reported indications of food access problems or limitations.”
● Marginal Food Security defined as “one or two reported indications — typically of anxiety over food sufficiency or shortage of food in the house. Little or no indication of changes in diets or food intake.”
● Low Food Security defined as “reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet. Little or no indication of reduced food intake”
● Very Low Food Security defined as “reports of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake”
The ranges of food insecurity provide researchers better data to understand the severity of food security in an area.
There are multiple reasons a person can become food insecure. The most common reasons of food insecurity are a result of extreme climate, political conflict or armed conflict. Natural hazards severely impact those who are at risk for food insecurity due to the majority of the population who rely on agricultural pursuits for their livelihood and/or access to food. Political and armed conflict can result in people fleeing from persecution or danger and becoming food insecure from the lack of a stable income or resources. Food insecurity can result in serious health problems and hinder a person’s ability to escape poverty. Malnutrition, such as mineral and vitamin deficiencies, can cause stunting which limits a child or young adult from fully developing. Over consumption of an unbalanced diet composed of unhealthy food items can result in obesity and associated health problems. Children who are food insecure are also limited in their ability to focus in school. According to Dr. Howard Taras a professor at the University of California — Davis “In 2 of the 3 studies conducted in the United States, food insufficiency was associated with significantly poorer cognitive functioning, decreased school attendance or diminished academic achievement. Without proper education, children become trapped in the cyclic nature of poverty. The impacts of food insecurity are diverse with multiple factors impacting an individual’s circumstance.
We must look for solutions to address food insecurity currently impacting people around the world and prepare to sustainably feed the rapidly growing world population. Holistic and multifaceted approaches should be used to decrease the causes of food insecurity and to improve the lives of those affected.
