From Farm to Table: Impacts of Food Insecurity

UNICEF Team uOttawa
Nov 19
2 min read

Hedanne Lemy - Awareness Content Reporter

UNICEF. (2024, July 24). The state of food security and nutrition 2024. https://data.unicef.org/resources/sofi-2024/ — UNICEF. (2024, July 24). *The state of food security and nutrition 2024*. https://data.unicef.org/resources/sofi-2024/

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day but what happens when one can’t afford it?

Food insecurity is described as not having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, healthy food. It is not always about not having money for food but can also include skipping meals and reducing portion sizes. Unfortunately, this is a worldwide issue that affects hundreds of millions of people. While global food production is sufficient, the restraints to access to food are mostly due to conflicts, climate change, and economic reasons. In Canada, food insecurity is driven by the latter. Factors such as low incomes, precarious employment, and inflation are at play. In 2022, Statistics Canada reported that 16.9% of Canadians were food insecure as compared to 12.9% in 2021 (1). This increase is directly tied to the cost of groceries, which, from 2021 to 2022, increased by 9.8% on average nationally (2).

In Ottawa, over one in four households reported some level of food insecurity in 2024 (3). The most vulnerable are low income households, single parent households, as well as households reliant on social assistance.

Food insecurity is deemed a public health issue as it directly impacts physical and mental health outcomes for both children and adults (4). This is an urgent matter as, in 2019, 15.3% of Ontarian children aged 1 to 17 years old lived in food-insecure households. It is only logical to assume that this number has increased since (5).

The negative consequences on physical and mental health include a higher risk of depression and suicidal ideation. Children facing chronic food insecurity are also more likely to develop long-term health issues such as asthma, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Ironically, chronic health issues can add to the cost of groceries as they can require specific diets on top of medications. Nutrient deficiencies, such as iron deficiency, can impact cognitive development which lowers academic performance and decreases productivity (6).

Food insecurity clearly goes beyond food. The mental, physical and academic consequences can follow these children into adulthood. It is a systemic issue and, as previously stated, a public health one as well.

What can be done?

While school-based nutrition programs such as the Ontario Student Nutrition program or food banks are helpful, long-term solutions lie in adequate income and reasonable food prices as well as affordable housing and childcare costs. A systemic issue requires systemic change. This is, of course, a rather tedious transformation that does not happen overnight. In the meantime, food programs and food banks will continue to provide essential support.