Let's start with definitions and details: A food secure household has "consistent access to enough food for active healthy living" (USDA). Food insecurity, therefore, is when access to food is limited due to poverty, environment, disaster, or social upheaval (think Zimbabwe). Health problems increase and environmental degradation (particularly in countries populated by subsistence farmers) is a given as people eke out food, cash, and shelter from whatever natural resources are available.
Poor food availability and choice in the US has become a necessarily hot topic. In the US, 1 out of 10 households struggle to put food on the table. American families with minimal food security can trend towards obesity and food insecurity simultaneously, as they choose processed food that fills bellies rather fresh produce that nourishes. In 2007, the USDA surveyed households about food insecurity, asking questions such as: 'In the last 12 months, did you or other adults in the household ever cut the size of your meals or skip meals because there wasn’t enough money for food?'
Childhood food insecurity - and often-related obesity due to poor food choices - is a significant problem in the US. The Child Nutrition Reauthorization, renewed in similar, if water-downed versions in both the House and Senate this year, promises funding for farm-to-school programs and lunches. Farm to school programs partner local farmers with government-funded school lunch programs, providing fresh, nourishing food with a story. These programs cultivate young citizens who are friends with farmers, aware of what they eat, and connecting their food with their environment. The bill awaits passage in the November lame-duck session of congress, so child hunger relief - and local food - advocates are holding their breath.
In the next post, we'll discuss international food insecurity - linked directly with rising food prices and environmental fragility.
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