Food Insecurity

Given the concerns about the SNAP program as of Nov. 1, I felt this article was worth publishing again. Hopefully, by the time this article is published, we will have already taken the appropriate steps. As of this writing, Delaware is one of the states using its own funds to help ensure that there is enough to help food insecure households in the state.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has as one of its causes something called “food insecurity.”

This is a term that not many people have heard, however, it is related to something that affects a large number of children in our country.

Food insecurity is not hunger but it is related to hunger. Individuals are hungry.

Households have food insecurity. There are some households where there is just not enough food to go around. It affects every individual in the household differently. In some cases, the children get more to eat than the parents. In other cases, the parents ignore their children’s need for food.

The estimates are that about 15 to 20 percent of children in our country live in food insecure households. In poor areas like rural Delaware, the numbers may actually be higher.

In 2006, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created a series of definitions related to this topic.

Households with “high food security” – the first level – have no real issues with access to food.

The second level is “marginal food security.” These households usually had enough food, however, there were often concerns or anxiety about obtaining and paying for food.

The third level is “low food security.” This group had issues with quality of food. They had issues with variety of food and serving a desirable diet. They did not have issues with reduced food intake. They had food but it just happened to be the wrong kind. This level occurs in about 15 percent of total U.S. households. It is present in 33 percent of single female households and 44 percent of low income households.

The fourth level is “very low food security.” This group had significant food issues. There was often not enough food. There was often not enough nourishing food. This level occurs in about one percent of U.S. households.

There are many signs of food insecurity. They include being worried that food will run out before there is money to buy more. They include that when they bought food it did not last until they got money for more. They include eating less because there was not money for more.

The signs also include not being able to eat balanced meals. They include cutting down on the size of meals. They include skipping meals.

What most people do not realize is that this situation has significant medical consequences. In children, consequences include impaired development, poor school performance, anxiety and depression. Adolescents are more likely to be depressed or commit suicide. Adults are more likely to have neurological conditions like seizures or carpal tunnel syndrome.

It is estimated that the annual cost to our society is a lot larger than people might expect. It is estimated that the annual costs of hunger in the United States comes out to just about $180 billion.

It is likely that many people may not know the term food insecurity. However, it is a lot more likely that most people actually know a household with food insecurity.