This post was written by Anna Bender, dietetics intern, Parkview Health.
Access to safe, nutrient-dense food is essential for every stage of life, from promoting childhood growth and development to supporting the healthy aging of our older adults. Nutritious food can prevent disease and allow for more years of active, functional living. Access does not just mean having enough food, but also, having food that is both safe to consume and nutritionally balanced, to support the needs of each individual.
The 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report explains that 2.33 billion people faced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2023. Often, the term “global food insecurity” suggests extreme hunger and poverty in developing countries. But food insecurity exists within all levels of economic stability and is most likely closer to home than you think.
In the United States, food insecurity is more commonly found in areas termed “low-income, low-access areas.” These are areas where communities have limited access to affordable, health-promoting foods. The USDA identifies these areas using criteria including income, distance to grocery stores, access to transportation, and the number of people affected.
Often in low-income, low-access areas, convenience stores and fast-food restaurants exist in place of grocery stores and supermarkets. Small stores are unable to supply quality food in large enough amounts to support the entire community. This could be attributed to:
- Less space to store large quantities of fresh foods
- High transportation and distribution costs of perishable foods
- Processed foods can stay on shelves longer and are more affordable
These factors teeter the scale towards having more highly processed foods with less nutritional value available. The limited supply of produce and perishable food items are subject to stocking shortages and higher prices. Higher prices force many individuals to choose between food and other basic needs. Selecting the more affordable food options stretches the dollar but comes with hidden health costs.
When access to nutritious food is disrupted, malnutrition risk increases, and community health suffers. Undernutrition and overnutrition are opposite outcomes of a shared cause. Malnutrition can manifest in different ways:
- Undernutrition: not getting enough calories from food to support your body’s energy needs
- Overnutrition: a consequence of a diet predominantly made up of processed foods, higher in calories, and lower in nutrient density
- Micronutrient deficiencies: even when energy needs are met, the diet lacks essential vitamins and minerals to support functions such as heart health, immunity, and proper growth and development
Chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes are often a result of poor diet quality. It is important to not only meet our calorie needs, but also our nutrient needs in the form of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients.
Food insecurity creates a cycle
Limited access to enough nutritious food causes increased stress and chronic disease. Poor health can reduce the ability to work, causing financial instability. Lowered income and increased healthcare costs make it harder to obtain healthy foods.
Globally mindful food solutions begin at the individual level. Supporting local food systems enhances the health of your community and boosts the local economy. Economic stability improves food access, in turn helping individuals and families make better-quality food choices. This creates a new cycle of improved health outcomes.
So, what can we do?
Connect with your local food system:
- Support local agricultural practices by getting produce from farmers’ markets or participating in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes
- Shop from local grocery stores
- Dine at local restaurants and those that source produce from local farmers
- Participate in community gardens or volunteer at local farms
Sustainable impacts from your own kitchen:
- Purchase in-season produce
- Make a meal plan before grocery shopping to avoid wasting unprepared food
- Freeze excess ingredients or meals to use down the road
- Choose reusable bags, containers and storage wraps
- Repurpose food scraps in smoothies, soups and stocks
- Try canning, dehydrating or pickling to preserve fruits and vegetables
- Compost unwanted produce scraps to use for personal gardens, yard landscaping, or houseplants
Sustainable improvements in food purchasing, storing, and preparing make a difference. Reducing food waste puts less pressure on the global food supply. This contributes to lowering food costs, conserving resources, and lessening the environmental impact. These positive effects expand food access worldwide.
Small changes in your own kitchen and community lead to big impacts on global nutrition. If you or someone you know is facing challenges getting enough nutritious food, additional resources are available through the Parkview FAST Program.
Sources
- https://www.fao.org/publications/fao-flagship-publications/the-state-of-food-security-and-nutrition-in-the-world/en
- https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details?pubid=45017
- https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/food-insecurity
- https://www.visitfortwayne.com/food-drink/farmers-markets/
- https://www.parkview.com/health-resources/fast-program
