Presenter: Parth Ramanlal Patel

Faculty Sponsor: Jerusha Nelson-Peterman

School: Framingham State University

Research Area: Nutrition

Session: Poster Session 3, 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM, Auditorium, A44

ABSTRACT

Problem Statement/Purpose: Food insecurity is the lack of access to healthy, affordable, culturally-appropriate food. Some Massachusetts-based hunger advocacy groups estimate that food insecurity may affect up to 37% of households in the U.S. Rising food inflation will likely increase the number of people affected. Because food is so important to health, it is important to understand how limited access may influence health. This study investigated how food insecurity affects physical and mental health and how people with limited access to food interpret health risks for themselves.

Methods:.We reviewed six primary and secondary research articles to understand how food insecurity can affect human health. We also surveyed 23 people about their food security patterns of experience, health symptoms, and knowledge of food insecurity.

Results: The articles demonstrated that food insecurity was consistently linked to cardiometabolic disease and other health risks. Our survey data and results have been highly supportive of the data also collected in the articles. Over half of the people who participated said they had worries of not having enough food, and half had skipped meals because of a lack of money or food. Most also believed that food insecurity leads to CVD diseases and depression.

Conclusion and Significance: Food insecurity heavily affects health outcomes through poor nutrition, chronic stress, and limited food access. Programs that support food security can also support health.