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As National Public Health Week (held April 3-9) draws to a close, there have been conversations about taking strides toward better food choices. The theme for this year, Centering and Celebrating Cultures in Health, is particularly befitting because of the impact of food insecurity on society. Still, public health has a long way to go in improving access to healthy food in underserved populations.
Food insecurity is the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or the limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.
Before tackling the issue of food insecurity (FI), we must first deconstruct the term “underserved populations” to fully understand how food affects communities. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), underserved populations/communities are groups with limited or no access to resources or otherwise disenfranchised. Like FEMA, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) further includes specific examples of underserved communities like those living in rural areas, older adults, and impoverished groups. Current studies also seem to follow that narrative, but more research needs to be conducted. Addressing public health issues holistically and systemically will require professionals to challenge the narrative. In other words, we may need to expand our view of underserved communities.
The coronavirus pandemic reaffirmed that access to good food is a basic life necessity. Accessibility and affordability of nourishing food can also achieve a higher quality of life. To ensure everyone has the food they need to thrive, we must understand the nuances and complexities of underserved populations. For instance, a new editorial published in BMC Medicine explains that food insecurity remains relatively hidden, especially in high-income countries where FI is downplayed. The report states that recently there has been a growing awareness of FI in higher-income countries. Thus, having an inclusive view of public health terminology can go a long way in addressing challenges and seeing the humanity in others.
In fact, the missing piece is understanding that risk factors may cause a change in demographics. Encountering people who may not fit vulnerable demographics may lead to judgment and bias even though FI can affect a wider range of the population, including teachers, social workers, and public sector workers. For example, a highly educated person may become part of an underserved group because of life circumstances. A person who was self-sufficient may now struggle to obtain food or health insurance due to losing their full-time job. Hence normalizing these stories is important because FI is beyond being closely tied to having the financial resources necessary to purchase food. Health and social care systems must strive to become and remain more inclusive when creating effective food intervention programs.
Inequality in high-income countries is the main contributing factor for FI. Ensuring underserved populations have adequate access to safe, nutritious, affordable food options should be a priority. More importantly, it will require concerted efforts locally, regionally, and nationally to confront inequalities and food insecurity that threaten environmental, economic, and social stability.
Food is the universal language of belonging, welcome, hospitality, and an inclusive society. It is high time that communities focus on food insecurity as a neglected public health issue requiring inclusive language.
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