ABSTRACT
The concept of being food secure, defined at the 1996 United Nations World Food Summit as “when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (Food and Agriculture Organization 1996), is a complex and multidimensional issue that rests on three pillars: (1) food availability,
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 133 Food Insecurity and Micronutrient Adequacy ....................................................... 134 Food Insecurity and Weight ................................................................................... 135
Food Insecurity and Weight in the United States and Other High-Income Countries ........................................................................................................... 136 Food Insecurity and Weight in Lower-Income Settings .................................... 138
Food Insecurity, Household Economics, and Risky Coping Strategies ................. 139 High-Risk Sexual Behavior ............................................................................... 140 Exposure to Violence......................................................................................... 140 Economic Status ................................................................................................ 140
Food Insecurity and Maternal and Child Health .................................................... 141 Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes ....................................................... 141 Child Health ...................................................................................................... 143
Food Insecurity and Mental Health ........................................................................ 143 Women, Mothers, and Their Children ............................................................... 143 Refugees ............................................................................................................ 144
Interventions .......................................................................................................... 144 United States Federal Food Programs ............................................................... 145 Cash for Work ................................................................................................... 146 Nutrition Education ........................................................................................... 147
Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 147 References .............................................................................................................. 148
(2) food access, and (3) food use. Though each of these three pillars can stand on its own, all three are necessary to form a solid foundation upon which individuals, households, and communities can build. Each pillar consists of a series of interconnected fibers of gender, age, education, health, and other factors that affect an individual’s ability to achieve and maintain a food-secure state. See Chapter 1 for a detailed review of the concepts of food security.
