Sustainable solutions to the intractable problems of food insecurity

Food insecurity is conceptualised as a lack of physical, social or financial means to obtain safe and nutritious food in adequate quantities to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. It is highly intertwined with the wider determinants of health, including social, cultural, and political factors. Food insecurity has increased dramatically in the UK as a result of recent welfare reforms driven by austerity, which have intensified the economic pressure felt by disadvantaged groups. COVID-19 has further impacted many individuals and families financially due to sudden unemployment and loss of income due to illness. Social factors including housing and unemployment, and environmental factors such as the presence of food deserts and swamps within communities also play a role in the disproportionate development of food insecurity within the most disadvantaged populations.

The effect of food insecurity is wide-ranging and severe. Paradoxically, the prevalence of hunger and micronutrient deficiencies has increased in the UK, alongside increases in over-nutrition and non-communicable diseases such as obesity in lower socio-economic groups. This has been directly related to the consumption of cheap, energy dense yet nutrient poor diets in this population. Additionally, food insecurity also impacts mental health, being linked to increases in anxiety and depression.

Food insecurity is a worryingly and seemingly intractable problem in the UK and despite receiving much recent media attention during the pandemic, lack of effective policies and government dedication is concerning. This has led to reliance on celebrities to raise awareness of the gravity of the issue and lobby for change. Similarly, with levels of food insecurity ever-increasing, the charitable sector is relied upon to bridge the gap. However, traditional food aid can provide only short-term, emergency relief, relying heavily on the generosity of others. Increasing reliance on food aid in response to the food insecurity crisis is not only unsustainable for charities, but the food distributed through food aid services is often nutritionally inadequate. Food banks have a limited capacity to provide fresh and healthy foods to meet dietary guidelines and consequently, those receiving food aid find themselves forced into consuming non-perishable, ultra-processed foods which may, in reality, be contributing towards widening health inequalities.

Changes that allow the welfare system and food environment to be conducive to reducing health inequalities are required to address the root causes of food insecurity. Alternatives to traditional food aid are urgently required in order to secure the provision of good food for all. Working in collaboration with the local social enterprise Can Cook, this research aims to recommend an economically sustainable, scalable and community-centred response to food insecurity. The development of such a response will be informed by an evaluation of the limitations of traditional food aid, including the eradication of food choice and negative consequences to mental and physical health and wellbeing of those in receipt of support. The attitudes and experiences of food insecure individuals will be considered in order to inform an optimum process to support local food security both at the household and community level, and promote an effective, relevant and sustainable social enterprise response.