FOOD INSECURITY According to Healthy People 2020, food insecurity is defined as the disruption of food intake or eating patterns because of a lack of money and other resources—which can be temporary or long-term. Food insecurity is an important social determinant within the economic stability domain. Food insecurity does not necessarily cause hunger; however, hunger is an outcome of food insecurity. Food insecurity may reflect a household’s need to make trade-offs between important basic needs, such as housing or medical bills, and purchasing nutritionally adequate foods. Having limited food access due to cost can be associated with chronic morbidities, such as obesity and diabetes. Seth A. Berkowitz, Andrew J. Karter and their colleagues conducted a study to analyze the association between food insecurity, low physical food access (food deserts), and glycemic control (diabetes). In March 2018, their study was published in the American Diabetes Association with the conclusion that food insecurity is associated with higher HbA1c (diabetes). However, living in an area with low physical food access (i.e., food deserts) is not associated with diabetes. Therefore, this study supports governmental efforts such as National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to reduce food insecurity.
Orange County Child Food Insecurity Rate 25%
20%
21.2%
20.6% 18.1%
19.3% 17.9%
17.0% 16.3%
15%
15.7%
10%
5%
0%
2012
2013
2014
Orange County
2015 California
2016
2017
National
Source: Feeding America, 2012-2017
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