Defining "Food Insecurity"
According to the USDA, food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to enough food for everyone
People who are food insecure often have to make choices between getting only what they can afford or skipping meals. Many people think that those who are food insecure must be unhoused, are unemployed, and can't be overweight. But, these are myths. Being food insecure can look like a lot of things. Someone may have a nice car or descent clothing but could still need food assistance. People could have a house, but because of the high cost of housing in Silicon Valley, managing other costs may be challenging. There is a range of the severity of food insecurity. High food security is when there are no reported indications of food-access problems or limitations. Very low food security is when there are reports of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake (USDA).
Prevalence of Food Insecurity and Food Waste
About 30-40% of the food supply is wasted in the US. In CA, 1 in 10 experience food insecurity.
As of 2021, Californians are reported to throw away ~6 million tons of food scraps every year. The amount of food waste that is produced has major impacts on society. The large amounts of wasted, edible food could have helped feed families in need. Also, time, energy, and materials had to dispose of all of the discarded food.
Impacts of Food Insecurity
HEALTH:
Food insecurity and the lack of access to nutritious food are associated with an increased risk for chronic health conditions. Food insecurity disproportionately affects people of racial/ethnic minorities and the socioeconomically disadvantaged. Food accessibility, specifically healthy food, is a social determinant of health. Access to grocery stores that carry healthy food options are not located equitably across residential and regional areas. Food deserts are described as areas that lack access to affordable, healthy foods. Food swamps are areas that are overwhelmed with unhealthy, calorie-dense, inexpensive junk food. They are a predictor of obesity. Generally food swamps are located in lower income areas, which greatly impacts the health of the members of those communities.
DAILY LIFE:
Food insecurity can also make it difficult for children to learn/grow. There are mental health implications and people are forced to make difficult decisions. For example, people may have to make the decision of whether to spend their money on food or healthcare.