8.4.4: Food Insecurity
Food insecurity describes not only experiencing the physical pain of hunger, but also not knowing when or where the next meal will be, and/or a reduction in the quality and desirability of food. In fact, the USDA describes two levels of food insecurity as being low food security and very low food security depending on whether or not a person has limited access to only quality or both quality and amount of food ( Food Insecurity - Healthy People 2030 , n.d.). Food insecurity is also associated with obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases that are often caused by overconsumption of calories. This is sometimes referred to as the food insecurity paradox. Although to date research has not identified a clear reason for this, one of the proposed mechanisms focuses on food cost vs. quality. For example, a person may have adequate access to total calories (or too many calories), yet those calories may be provided by highly processed foods with very little nutritional value. They may not be able to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, and/or their meals might mostly consist mostly of canned, frozen or prepackaged foods, or meals from vending machines, fast-food restaurants, and convenience stores. These cheaper, more convenient food products also tend to be higher in fat, sugar, salt, and calories. Thus, although in developing countries food insecurity is associated with dangerously low body weight, in wealthier countries like the U.S. food insecurity is associated with obesity - particularly in women (Carvajal-Aldaz et al., 2022). In terms of other health effects, certainly worrying about the next meal or being able to afford food impacts a person’s stress level and their mental health as well ( Food Insecurity - Healthy People 2030 , n.d.).
In 2022, food insecurity affected 12.8% of households, which is a significant increase since 2021, when food insecurity was at 10.2%. Rates of food insecurity were the highest - and increased the most between 2021 and 2022 - for single mothers with children under 18 ( USDA ERS , 2023). See Figure 8.6 below.