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Key Takeaways

Across the United States, 33.8 million people experiencedfood insecuritylast year. In 6.2 percent of households with children, neither the children nor the adults had consistent, reliable access to food.At the same time, an estimated 30% to 40% of the food supply goes to waste.

It should go without saying that being without food can be detrimental to a person’s physical and mental well-being—and is something no person should have to experience.

Jennifer Russomanno, DrPH, MPH, CHES, an assistant professor of practice for the University of Tennessee’s Online Master of Public Health program.Food insecurity is multi-dimensional, and it will take changes at a policy level to really make a difference in our nation’s food insecurity rate.

Jennifer Russomanno, DrPH, MPH, CHES, an assistant professor of practice for the University of Tennessee’s Online Master of Public Health program.

Food insecurity is multi-dimensional, and it will take changes at a policy level to really make a difference in our nation’s food insecurity rate.

“Food insecurity is multi-dimensional, and it will take changes at a policy level to really make a difference in our nation’sfood insecurityrates,” explainsJennifer Russomanno, DrPH, MPH, CHES, an assistant professor of practice for theUniversity of Tennessee’s Online Master of Public Health program.

Planned Course of Action

The five pillars introduced to aid in this goal are:

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If successful, this shift in access to nutritious foods should reduce not only hunger but also its additional negative consequences. One significant component of this is poor mental health.

“Chronic stress and anxiety often can follow when an individual is always wondering where their next meal will come from. Studies also show that a lack of nutritious meals, specifically for growing children, can also lead to both mental and physical health issues,” saysErin Barger, president and CEO of theFood Bank of Northeast Georgia.

Barger continues, “The social aspect and potential embarrassment people face when dealing with food insecurity can also have a negative impact on one’s mental health.” No one should be made to feel embarrassed for not having access to food due to a system that has failed them and so many others, yet that doesn’t mean people don’t feel it.

A 2021 study from theJournal of American College Healthinvestigated how food insecurity impacted a group of college students. Responses included feeling sick from hunger while trying to take exams, aninability to focus or walk to class, and anxiety about both where their next meal was coming from and spending too much money on food.

For younger children, Russomanno explains that insufficient access to food can also minimize focus in school, as well as lead to cognitive delays and disabilities.

Erin Barger, president of the Food Bank of Northeast GeorgiaChronic stress and anxiety often can follow when an individual is always wondering where their next meal will come from.

Erin Barger, president of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia

Chronic stress and anxiety often can follow when an individual is always wondering where their next meal will come from.

Despite studies such as these demonstrating the link between food insecurity, poor mental health, and additional social issues, they are all often looked at separately, ignoring the intertwine root causes, expressesDebbie DePoala, the senior director of communications atWhyHunger.

“We cannot end hunger without concrete steps to address racial, economic, and social injustice at its roots,” she says. “Meeting immediate needs is critical, but long-term change takes a transformation of the systems, policies, and institutions that keep people poor and oppressed,” says DePoala.

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Advice For Mitigating Food Insecurity

“The biggest piece of advice is, please don’t be afraid to ask for help,” says DePoala. “There is an unfair and unjust stigma that is far too often associated with needing support.”

Additionally, Russomanno recommends trying some of the following options when possible:

What This Means For YouWhether you need help accessing food or would like to aid in reducing food insecurity, here are resources to explore:Feeding AmericaWhyHungerCDC Provided Resources, such as the USDA Hunger Hotline: 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) for Spanish. Open 7 am to 10 pm EST, Monday to Friday.

What This Means For You

Whether you need help accessing food or would like to aid in reducing food insecurity, here are resources to explore:Feeding AmericaWhyHungerCDC Provided Resources, such as the USDA Hunger Hotline: 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) for Spanish. Open 7 am to 10 pm EST, Monday to Friday.

Whether you need help accessing food or would like to aid in reducing food insecurity, here are resources to explore:

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5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.US Department of Agriculture.Household food security in the United States in 2021.US Department of Agriculture.Food waste FAQs.The White House.Biden-Harris administration national strategy on hunger, nutrition, and health.Kim Y, Murphy J, Craft K, Waters L, Gooden BI.“It’s just a constant concern in the back of my mind”: Lived experiences of college food insecurity.Journal of American College Health. 2022:1-8. doi:10.1080/07448481.2022.2064714Fang D, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM.The association between food insecurity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):607. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-10631-0

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.US Department of Agriculture.Household food security in the United States in 2021.US Department of Agriculture.Food waste FAQs.The White House.Biden-Harris administration national strategy on hunger, nutrition, and health.Kim Y, Murphy J, Craft K, Waters L, Gooden BI.“It’s just a constant concern in the back of my mind”: Lived experiences of college food insecurity.Journal of American College Health. 2022:1-8. doi:10.1080/07448481.2022.2064714Fang D, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM.The association between food insecurity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):607. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-10631-0

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

US Department of Agriculture.Household food security in the United States in 2021.US Department of Agriculture.Food waste FAQs.The White House.Biden-Harris administration national strategy on hunger, nutrition, and health.Kim Y, Murphy J, Craft K, Waters L, Gooden BI.“It’s just a constant concern in the back of my mind”: Lived experiences of college food insecurity.Journal of American College Health. 2022:1-8. doi:10.1080/07448481.2022.2064714Fang D, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM.The association between food insecurity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):607. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-10631-0

US Department of Agriculture.Household food security in the United States in 2021.

US Department of Agriculture.Food waste FAQs.

The White House.Biden-Harris administration national strategy on hunger, nutrition, and health.

Kim Y, Murphy J, Craft K, Waters L, Gooden BI.“It’s just a constant concern in the back of my mind”: Lived experiences of college food insecurity.Journal of American College Health. 2022:1-8. doi:10.1080/07448481.2022.2064714

Fang D, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM.The association between food insecurity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):607. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-10631-0

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