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Food insecurity and chronic disease

Poverty linked to unhealthy diet to maintain calorie intake

Posted in Diet, Economics on 5 July 2010

The USDA reported that after a decade of relative stability, the percentage of US households that are food insecure had increased by 32% in 2008, reaching 14.6% of households nationally. The figures are even higher among households below the federal poverty line (42%), black and Hispanic households (25%), and households with children (21%). Being affected by food insecurity can force people to maintain caloric intake through living off an increasingly homogenised and unhealthy diet, usually high in calories, fats, sugars and salt. because these types of foods are cheaper than healthier options.

Food insecurity clearly has a huge impact on diet and therefore potentially on chronic diseases as eating unhealthily is a risk factor. The relationship between food insecurity and chronic disease constitute a major intertwined social problem.

Source: New England Journal of Medicine, 1 July 2010.

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