Food Insecurity

What does this measure?

In this section, ‘household food insecurity’ or ‘food insecure households’ refers to moderate or severe food insecurity as measured by the Household Food Security Survey Module of the Canadian Community Health Survey. Households are said to experience food insecurity when survey respondents indicated that either the adults or children living in that household experienced either a compromise in the quality or quantity of food consumed (moderate food insecurity) or they experienced a reduced food intake or disrupted eating pattern (severe food insecurity). It is often associated with the household’s financial ability to access adequate food.

Why is this important?

Children who experience food insecurity are more likely to:

• exhibit behaviour disorders, including anxiety, hyperactivity, aggression, difficulty getting along with other children & inattention
• experience difficulty with mathematics, repeat grades, miss or be late for school, score lower on intelligence and achievement tests and have increased academic problems
• poor health outcomes, including a higher risk chronic conditions, particularly asthma

Teenagers who are food insecure are also more likely to have academic and social problems.  Childhood food insecurity is also related to adolescent depression and related suicide ideation.

How is Hastings Prince Edward area doing?

Based on the 2017/2018 CCHS data, it is estimated that about one in nine households (11.8%) in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties (HPEC) are not able to consume an adequate diet, in quantity and/or quality of food (moderate or severe food insecurity). Including individuals who experience marginal food insecurity, this estimate increases to one in six households (16.8%). Even though food insecurity is in HPEC is not significantly higher than the province, estimates in Ontario are also high, demonstrating that food insecurity continues to be a pressing issue impacting communities province-wide. For more information on food insecurity and affordability in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties please see the 2018 Nutritious Food Basket Report prepared by Hastings and Prince Edward Public Health.