hunger alleviation, tackling food poverty or challenging the determinants of poverty: what can...
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Hunger alleviation, tackling food poverty or challenging the determinants of poverty:
What can Public Health do?
Tony CookeHead of Health Improvement
Kirklees Public Health
Food poverty is…“the inability to afford or to have access to food to make up a healthy diet” (Department of Health)
“Food poverty is worse diet, worse access, worse health, higher percentage of income on food, and less choice from a restricted range of foods.”(Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy at City University, London)
Lower consumption of
fruit and veg and a higher intake of fats, sugars + salt. Problems
with overweight and underweight
Space for preparing and
eating as a family
Lack of cooking in the home. Families rarely sit
down together to eat a meal
Access to affordable
healthy food
Less opportunity for physical activity and large number of
takeaways in deprived areas .
Food poverty and diet of people on low incomes
Low income and less healthy eating
behaviours
Food budget will often be reduced before other household outgoings
Lack of cooking skills & confidence
Food behaviour linked to other health behaviours: physical activity ,alcohol, smoking
Lack of exposure to sunlight = Vit D
deficiency
Irregular meal times
Lack of cooking utensils
Shift work and irregular hours
Psycho-social stress and stigma
• Population wide people are eating less nutritious food
• Starker inequalities in income, stark inequalities in diets and food skills
• In Kirklees lower income groups less confident at cooking from scratch
• ‘Bad’ food can cost less per calorie• It is also more accessible/profitable
Increased numbers accessing food banksIncreased under nutritionIncrease in numbers overweight and obese Perfect storm
21%
16%
33%
Child Poverty
Working age Poverty
Pensioner Poverty
20,840
42,800
22,040
Poverty in Kirklees
Cost of living increases 2008 - 2012
1%Work
related benefitsuprating
25%
Minimum Income basket
2.2%
Disabled people and pensioners
uprating
2.2%
Universal uprating
18%
Food
27%
Energy
Annual benefits uprating2008 - 2012
Annual benefits uprating2013 onwards
Incapacit
y Benefits
Tax Credits
1% up-rating of m
ost working-age benefits
Housing Benefit r
eforms
£0.0
£1.0
£2.0
£3.0
£4.0
£5.0
£bn
average loss per affected
household/individual
£3,480
average loss per affected
household/individual
£810
The biggest losers
Some households and individuals, notably sickness and disability claimants, will be hit by several different elements of the reforms.
Discussions in Kirklees…All people in poverty are at risk of food poverty but individual circumstances are different• Some people are more resilient• Some have stronger communities/social capital• Some grow their own food or have an allotment
Benefit sanctions are an exception• Most people on benefits do not attend food banks
but most people sanctioned do• Increasing numbers are sanctioned
The Kirklees response: Proportionate universalism Narrative for change: the food charter and strategy
A population level approach where possible
• Food for Life Partnership in schools to improve quality and uptake of meals• Silver catering award provider supplies food to all but one Kirklees school • Projects to increase food growing across Kirklees• National Child Measurement Programme• Healthy Choice Award targets take-aways and restaurants• Recycling and food waste projects• Better procurement promotes more local jobs
Targeted services where necessary
• 40 growing sites in areas of multiple deprivation, focus on social housing, disabilities, LTCs• Settings based approach to target hospitals, early years and care settings, using FFLP and
development of similar standards to support sustainable food• Food banks+ i.e. skills training, cook and eat sessions and (planned) growing sites
Questions for consideration• Do we need to make a clear distinction between hunger, food poverty and
poverty?• Should we focus on alleviation of hunger, improvements to diet/nutrition or
both?• How to engage with public health teams to address food poverty?• How can public health engage other partners to address food poverty?• What are the consequences of food poverty?• Which areas can public health address? Focus on low / medium input, high
impact• Can local authorities develop systematic strategies to address health
inequalities including food poverty and poverty more generally• How can they join wider lobbying efforts around poverty and its impact• What action can you commit to taking forward when you get back to your
City/town?
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