Food Insecurity and Chronic Health Conditions
Food security status is strongly related to the likelihood of chronic disease in general, and to the number of chronic conditions an individual may have.
Overall, adults with very low food security are 40 percent more likely to have a chronic illness than adults in households with high food security.
On average, the number of chronic conditions for adults in households with low food security is 18 percent higher than for those in households with high food security. Even adults in households with marginal food security were nine percent less likely to report excellent health than those in households with high food security.
Chronic conditions are costly both in terms of human life and in financial terms. Chronic conditions often pose barriers to employment and other life activities and can also hasten death.
Key Terms:
- Very Low Food Security
At times during the year, eating patterns of one or more household members were disrupted and food intake reduced because the household lacked money and other resources for food. - High Food Security:
Households had no problems or anxiety about consistently accessing adequate food.
"Food insecurity status is more strongly predictive of chronic illness in some cases even than income."
USDA Economic Research Service
Tools
from our Resource Library
For Education
Election Resources
One of the best times to raise the issues of hunger and poverty is during election campaigns. Engage candidates in your state/district on hunger and poverty using our elections resources.Fact Sheet: Expand the Child Tax Credit to Significantly Reduce Child Hunger
Expanding the CTC would do more to reduce hunger and poverty among our nation's children than any single policy has in decades.Racially Equitable Responses to Hunger During COVID-19 and Beyond
Food insecurity and COVID-19 have a reciprocal relationship. Learn more.
For Faith
Finding Hope, Ending Hunger on Both Sides of the Border: A Bilingual Latino Devotional
Devotional writers challenge us to feel the Spirit of God within us and to hear God’s urgent call to demand justice so all can put food on the table.The Bible on Health as a Hunger Issue
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in faith.” These words from Colossians 2:6 remind us of the faith that is active in love for our neighbors.
The Bible on...
Unity Declaration on Racism and Poverty
A diverse body of Christian leaders calls on the churches and Congress to focus on the integral connection.
Dear Members of Congress,
As the president and Congress are preparing their plans for this year, almost 100 church leaders—from all the families of U.S. Christianity—are...
For Advocacy
Fact Sheet: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to respond to changes in need, making it well suited to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fact Sheet: Why We Need $200 Million for Global Nutrition Programs
Bread for the World and its partners are asking Congress to provide $200 million for global nutrition in the fiscal year 2020 budget.
Fact Sheet: Hunger by the Numbers
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure, meaning that they were unsure at some point during the year about how they would provide for their next meal.