Food insecurity

By Metro Creative

Hunger is a feeling most people can relate to. At one point or another, just about everyone has felt a hunger pang so strong it can feel like itÕs been ages since they’ve eaten so much as a morsel of food. Hunger is not a part of daily life for many people, while for others it’s an everyday occurrence marked by uncertainty about when and where a next meal may come from.

Food insecurity is a legitimate concern for millions of individuals across the globe. The accessibility and availability of food may make it seem as though individuals in developed countries like the United States are unlikely to go to bed hungry at night, but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Feeding America¨ notes that 47 million people in the United States, including children, experience food insecurity annually. Greater recognition of food insecurity may compel action that can ultimately ensure no one goes to bed hungry at night.

What is food insecurity?

Feeding America notes food insecurity occurs when people don’t have enough to eat and don’t know where their next meal will come from.

How common is food insecurity?

Feeding America reports food insecurity is a major problem in the United States, where the group notes 47 million people, including 14 million children, experience it each year. Statistics Canada reports that just under 17 percent of Canadians were food insecure in 2022. And the issue of food insecurity in North America is just part of the problem, as the World Health Organization notes that 2.33 billion people globally faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2023.

What causes food insecurity?

There’s no single culprit behind food insecurity, though Statistics Canada notes that prices of food purchased from stores increased by 9.8 percent between 2021 and 2022. Though it’s important to avoid identifying inflation as the lone cause of food insecurity, that spike in prices undoubtedly had something to do with the 4 percent spike in Canadians who were food insecure in 2022 compared to 2021, when 12.9 percent of individuals living in Canada were food insecure.

Rising food prices undoubtedly contribute to food insecurity, but a report from Feeding America¨ identifies additional variables that have made the issue a systemic problem and global concern.

Poverty and unemployment: People who live in poverty cannot afford to buy food regularly, and many live in places where the accessibility of affordable, healthy food is lacking.

Lack of affordable housing: Individuals who are paying exorbitant costs for housing may not have enough left over to pay for food, even if they are careful with their money and good at saving.

Chronic health conditions: Individuals with long-term health problems may struggle to maintain a job that enables them to purchase food. In addition, medical bills associated with chronic health conditions can be expensive depending on where a person lives, leaving little money to buy food.

Racism and discrimination: Feeding America¨ notes that individuals who are members of marginalized communities, including LGBTQ individuals, people of color and those with disabilities, are at greater risk of food insecurity due to systemic discrimination and poverty.

Food insecurity is a significant issue across the globe. More information about food insecurity and what can be done to combat it is available at feedingamerica.org.

— Metro Creative