Solutions to Food Insecurity
- Reduce Food Waste.
- Reduce the Risk of Commercialising.
- Improve Existing Infrastructural Programs.
- Improve Trade Policies.
- Promote Diversification.
- Close the Yield Gap.
- Work Towards Defeating Climate Change.
Here's how you can fight food insecurity and make a difference in your area.
- Work with Feeding America.
- Find Mutual Aid networks.
- Contact your representatives.
- Stock a community fridge.
- Volunteer at a food bank.
- Support Black-operated food justice initiatives.
- Organize a food drive.
Hunger and child developmentResearch shows an association between food insecurity and delayed development in young children; risk of chronic illnesses like asthma and anemia; and behavioral problems like hyperactivity, anxiety and aggression in school-age children.
Results. Food insecurity is associated with a 257% higher risk of anxiety and a 253% higher risk of depression. Losing a job during the pandemic is associated with a 32% increase in risk for anxiety and a 27% increase in risk for depression.
Some of the physical effects of hunger are malnutrition, stunted growth, wasting, babies born prematurely, low birth weights, and in extreme cases infant and child mortalities. Other effects are poor health, physical symptoms such as stomachaches and headaches, signs of worry, anxiety, and behavior problems.
Hunger delays development on the cognitive, social and emotional level. This includes reading, language, attention, memory and problem-solving capabilities. Hunger hinders our ability to focus and study. Hunger results in a lower IQ and less developed brain matter then well-nourished children.
The psychological effects were significant as well. Hunger made the men obsessed with food. They would dream and fantasize about food, read and talk about food and savor the two meals a day they were given. They reported fatigue, irritability, depression and apathy.
Food insecurity – often rooted in poverty – decreases the ability of countries to develop their agricultural markets and economies. Access to quality, nutritious food is fundamental to human existence. Secure access to food can produce wide ranging positive impacts, including: Economic growth and job creation.
According to Hunger on Campus, 50 percent of community college students and 47 percent of four-year college students reported food insecurity. Twenty-five percent and 20 percent (respectively) had very low food security.
Using the framework of human capital theory, the report presents evidence that food insecurity can negatively affect the U.S. economy through increased health costs that, paradoxically, include obesity and overweight. Child hunger is also shown to negatively impact educational and lifetime earning potential.
The pandemic has likely increased student food insecurity because of factors like unemployment and closure of campus resources, and many students cannot access federal food assistance because of long-standing student restrictions.
Extensive research reveals food insecurity is a complex problem. Many people do not have the resources to meet their basic needs, challenges which increase a family's risk of food insecurity.
Additionally, studies show that food insecure students are more likely to have lower grade-point averages, graduate late, and/or drop out of school when compared to their food secure peers. The reason is simple: You cannot learn on an empty stomach.
