Food insecurity is one of the most pressing global problems that is also relevant for the US today. Many families do not have enough economic means to purchase the necessary food, which disrupts their eating patterns and leads to many negative health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated the situation of many low-income families in the country, which requires the government to act actively to address the problem. The main reason for food insecurity in the country is not limited access to the product but the lack of economic resources to purchase them from many families. The main obstacle to effectively addressing the problem is the geographical approach to the analysis of food-insecure areas, which does not allow the government to deal with the root cause of this issue. Thus, to solve the problem, the government needs to expand financial support programs, as well as stimulate the economy of the least economically stable areas with initiatives such as community gardens.
Problem Identification
Food insecurity is currently one of the most urgent public health issues in the US. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation of many families regarding this problem. US Department of Agriculture reports that in 2020, about 10.5% (13.8 million) of US households experienced food insecurity, 3.9% (5.1 million) of which experienced very low food security. This means that more than 35 million Americans “were either unable to acquire enough food to meet their needs or uncertain of where their next meal might come from” (Silva). Thus, food insecurity disrupts eating patterns, reduces dietary diversity, and forces people to use food assistance programs in the most extreme cases.
Food Insecurity as a Major Public Health Problem
Food insecurity is a major problem in today’s US that must be solved as it affects many predominantly low-income people. The COVID-19 pandemic is contributing to the worsening of the situation due to rising unemployment and a further reduction in the income of many families (Fitzpatrick et al. 1-2; Lauren et al. 3932). It is also significant that the effects of the pandemic negatively affect the expansion of disparities regarding the problem by increasing the amount of food insecurity among the low-income population and people of color (Wolfson and Leung 8). The main threats that this problem poses to both the population and the government are “multiple negative health outcomes and higher health care costs attributable to food insecurity” (Gundersen and Ziliak 119). Sun et al. report that food insecurity, especially very low food insecurity, is associated with an increased number of all-cause deaths, as well as deaths from cardiovascular diseases (6). This fact is associated with reduced consumption of the most significant nutrients, fruits, and vegetables, due to low income. It is also important that food insecurity negatively affects the management of diet-related chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Finally, food insecurity is a highly stressful situation that puts emotional and psychological pressure on people and households, which also negatively affects health.
Major Obstacles
The problem of food insecurity in the US continues to worsen due to structural and economic obstacles. For a long time, the main concept for defining the problem was geographical, as it was believed that certain areas have better access to food than others (George and Tomer). Nevertheless, this concept does not provide a clear understanding of which households are most affected, as it does not take into account shopping patterns and digital food delivery methods. There are programs to increase low-income communities’ access to food, such as the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. Programs that offer assistance to people on a geographical basis aimed at improving access to food do not take into account the main factor of food insecurity, which is economic insecurity (George and Tomer). Thus, current programs focusing on the connection between geography and food insecurity problems cannot fully satisfy the needs of low-income households that are affected by this problem. The main obstacle is that even with access to the necessary food, many people cannot afford it.
Possible Solutions
To solve the problem, the government, first of all, needs to expand programs aimed at increasing the financial opportunities for access to food among the low-income population. In particular, programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) should receive more funding (Silva). SNAP offers monthly benefits based on income and household size, allowing people to purchase food (George and Tomer). This program is the most effective as it directly increases the purchasing power of vulnerable groups of the population and reduces food insecurity. The increase in pandemic-related benefits in 2020 has had a significant positive impact on the food security status of many families in the US (Turner). However, despite this, this program is too limited and offers insufficient benefits to families who are experiencing difficulties at the end of the month. An additional hurdle is the lengthy application process to obtain this assistance, which prevents many in need from participating in the program (Lowrey). Thus, the primary state effort should be to focus on increasing the availability and size of the benefits of SNAP, which provides significant financial support to vulnerable households.
Another method of solving the problem may be to increase the involvement of the most vulnerable groups in community-based food production, including the cultivation of vegetables and fruits. As noted, the problem of food insecurity unevenly affects various groups affecting the most low-income and colored households (Wolfson and Leung 8). There are now non-profit organizations, including the National Gardening Association (NGA), that are developing a community-based gardens initiative in the US (“Community Gardens”). Community gardens are “collaborative projects on shared open spaces where participants share in the maintenance and products of the garden, including healthful and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables” (“Community Gardens”). The government needs to be actively involved in expanding this program to provide multiple benefits to vulnerable groups.
Increasing the number of community gardens in the least economically stable areas will, first of all, increase access to the necessary nutrients. It is also important that work on the cultivation of food products will increase the physical activity of the community, which is also associated with positive health outcomes. Expansion of programs for preferential education in the field of botany and food production will increase the level of education and income of vulnerable groups in the long term. Finally, such an initiative will attract both tourists and specialists to the least prosperous areas, which will generally increase economic well-being (Gundersen and Ziliak 127). Thus, the participation of the government in the community gardens initiative will increase the economic stability of the most vulnerable groups and areas, reducing food insecurity.
Works Cited
“Community Gardens.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Fitzpatrick, Kevin M., et al. “Assessing Food Insecurity among US Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, vol. 16, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1-18.
George, Caroline, and Adie Tomer. “Beyond ‘Food Deserts’: America Needs a New Approach to Mapping Food Insecurity.” Brookings, 2021.
Gundersen, Craig, and James P. Ziliak. “Food Insecurity Research in the United States: Where We Have Been and Where We Need to Go.” Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, vol. 40, no. 1, 2018, pp. 119-135.
Lauren, Brianna N., et al. “Predictors of Households at Risk for Food Insecurity in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Public Health Nutrition, vol. 24, no. 12, 2021, pp. 3929-3936.
Lowrey, Annie. “The Time Tax: Why Is So Much American Bureaucracy Left to Average Citizens?” The Atlantic, 2021.
Silva, Christianna. “Food Insecurity In The US By The Numbers.” NPR, 2020.
Sun, Yangbo, et al. “Food Insecurity Is Associated With Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Among Adults in the United States.” Journal of the American Heart Association, vol. 9, no. 19, 2020, pp. 1-11.
Turner, Cory. “USDA Moves To Feed Millions Of Children Over The Summer.” NPR, 2021.
US Department of Agriculture. “Key Statistics & Graphics.” US Department of Agriculture.
Wolfson, Julia A, and Cindy W. Leung. “Food Insecurity and COVID-19: Disparities in Early Effects for US Adults.” Nutrients, vol. 12, no. 6, 2020, pp. 1-13.