J E N N I F E R TAY LO RD E PA RT M E N T O F A P P L I E D

H U M A N S C I E N C E SM A R 1 1 , 2 0 1 4

AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY?

Food Insecurity and Health Inequities

OUTLINE

• 1. A Sad State of Affairs• 2. Why are Islanders struggling to put food on the table? • 3. Health inequities and food insecurity• 4. What can we do?

1. A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS

FOOD INSECURITY

inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints

Global

Local

National

Regional

http://nutritionalsciences.lamp.utoronto.ca/

Household

http://nutritionalsciences.lamp.utoronto.ca/

ATLANTIC PROVINCES WORST IN COUNTRY-EXCEPT FOR TERRITORIES, NUNAVUT

Tarasuk et al. http://nutritionalsciences.lamp.utoronto.ca/

2. WHY ARE SO MANY ISLANDERS STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD ON THE

TABLE?

IN CANADA, THE MAJORITY OF FOOD INSECURE HOUSEHOLDS ARE WORKING

Tarasuk et al. http://nutritionalsciences.lamp.utoronto.ca/

Tarasuk et al. http://nutritionalsciences.lamp.utoronto.ca/

!

• Housing

• Heating costs

• Prescription drugs

• Childcare

• Transportation

RISING COSTS STEAL GROCERY $

•Healthier diets cost $1.48/person/ day more•Family of 3: $133/month MORE

PEI FOOD BANK AND FOOD COSTING STUDY

• Food costing in Charlottetown grocery stores• Same method as 2005 (last time!)

• Charlottetown Food Bank clients• 51 mothers• Food insecurity rates?• Dietary intakes?• Which factors buffer impact of food insecurity?

• Data collection complete by September• Report release in 2014• Taylor, Walton, Oickle,Yeudall

Walton, C, Taylor, J, Oickle, J. Prince Edward Island Pilot Food Costing Report . University of Prince Edward Island, 2013

FOOD PRICES HAVE ESCALATED

Walton, C, Taylor, J, Oickle, J. Prince Edward Island Pilot Food Costing Report University of Prince Edward Island, 2013

MONTHLY DEFICITS

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2012/11/14/pei-gettingby2-f-food-584.html

3. HEALTH INEQUITIES AND FOOD INSECURITY

Nutrition Disease Mental Health

Education & Literacy

Health Inequities: unfair and unjust differences in health status

NUTRITION

Qualitative compromises infood selection

Quantitative compromises infood intake, hunger Dietary

inadequaciesTarasuk, V

NUTRITION

MORE

NUTRITION

LESS

DISEASE

• Higher rates of diabetes, heart disease

• Depression

• Children: more illness, medications

• More obesity• Conflicting evidence

http://www.cwhn.ca/en/networkmagazine/foodinsecurity

“HUNGER OVERWEIGHT PARADOX”

http://www.bitchinnutrition.com/food-for-thought/the-hunger-and-overweight-paradox/

Health Outcome Food Insecure

Marginal food insecure

Food Secure

Child health fair/poor 16.1 11.7 10.1Hospitalized since birth 24.7 24.2 23.3Overweight 16 15.5 16.5Developmental concern ≥1 20.0 17.2 14.4Developmental concern ≥2 11.3 9.7 8.5

Caregiver depression 38.7 28.2 17.8Caregiver health fair/poor 33.3 22.2 17.1

MENTAL HEALTH

MENTAL HEALTH

Other health professional care

Primary care physician expenses

Rehabilitation

Terminal care

Hospitalization

Medications

Emergency Care

Specialist Care

Home care

Counseling

Direct Costs • Self reported poor health

• Depression• Anxiety • Suicide• Migraines• Iron Deficiencies• Hospitalizations• Upper

gastrointestinal disorders

• Colds

$130.5 Billion

EDUCATION AND LITERACY

• Children K to Gr 3 with food stamp participation

reading and math scores by 3 points

• Hungry children twice as likely to have repeated a grade

FAILING TO ENSURE THE ‘RIGHT TO FOOD’: TOO HIGH A PRICE

•Health care•Mental health•Education•Productivity•Quality of life

4. WHAT CAN WE DO?

FOOD BANKS AND SOUP KITCHENS: EMERGENCY CHARITY RESPONSES

COMMUNITY KITCHENS

http://www.foodbankscanada.ca/About-Us/Programs/Community-Kitchen-Fund.aspx http://www.freshchoicekitchens.ca/

COMMUNITY GARDENS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RSn9d9pMN8

FOOD BOXES, CSA,CO-OPS

EVALUATION

http://sustainontario.com/resources/food-charters

http://peoplesfoodpolicy.ca/policy/resetting-table-peoples-food-policy-canada

ADDRESSING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS MUST BE A KEY FOCUS

http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/health-risks/nutrition/reviews/other-reviews

ACTION NEEDED.

IF WE WANT TO SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN

• Eating habits• Heart disease• Cancer• Obesity• Children’s school performance•Mental health

We need to address the root cause: food insecurity

THE RIGHT THE RIGHT TO TO GOOD FOOD GOOD HEALTH