Are any of the people you see in your office or clinic “food insecure?” How about the college friends of your children? Or perhaps your own coworker?

Food insecurity is all around us.

The United States Department of Agriculture describes food insecurity as the lack of “consistent, dependable access to adequate food for active, healthy living.” Recent data indicate that food insecurity affects about 13% of U.S. households. In some states, the rate approaches 20%. Certain populations are particularly vulnerable: 27% of veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan and as many as 37% of college students are food insecure.

Twice monthly, the Muslim Food Pantry in Flint, MI, distributes free food to anyone who needs it. The pantry is run by volunteers and offers food, bottled water, and hygiene products to those with limited or no food or clean water—the latter a result of the Flint water crisis. Photo by Jim West/The Image Works.

Risk factors and adverse health outcomes.

In general, write the authors of “Addressing Food Insecurity in Vulnerable Populations” in this month’s AJN:

“Food insecurity is associated with low income, low educational attainment, belonging to a racial or ethnic minority, renting a home, living in an urban environment, being a single parent, having a disabled household member, and maternal depression.”

In this CE article, nurses Heather L. Flores and Azita Amiri walk us through the factors that contribute to food insecurity, the populations at greatest risk, and the many adverse health effects that can result from any of the dimensions of food insecurity. Did you know that the children of women who experienced food-insecure pregnancies are more likely to have birth defects or clinically significant behavior problems? Or that food insecurity is associated with an increased risk of intimate partner violence? 

Screening tools and resources.

Nurses are “everywhere,” and so are people who are food insecure. In this concise overview of the issue, authors Flores and Amiri also offer screening tools and resources to guide us in initiating sensitive discussions and referring people for help.