What if you had to make the choice between meals and medicine? Between making rent and filling lunch boxes? What if you didn't have enough money to keep the power on at home and nourish a healthy body? 42 million Americans, that's 1 in 8, are food insecure. This means they lack consistent access to enough nutritious food for an active, healthy life.
Our neighbors who are food insecure cannot always stretch their household budgets to meet their basic needs. Even with the support of federal nutrition programs or help from family, friends, and community organizations, food insecurity can have serious long-term effects on a person's health. Healthy bodies and minds at every age require nutritious meals.
When people don't have enough food, when they consistently need to choose inexpensive, low-quality calories, or experience chronic stress about where they will get their next meal, their health can suffer. People who experience food insecurity are at higher risk for diet-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity. More than half of households served by the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks have at least one member with high blood pressure. One-third have at least one member with diabetes.
When an individual or family cannot afford enough nutritious food, they sometimes adopt coping strategies and trade-offs that work in the short term to avoid hunger. However, over time, these can increase the risk for diet-related disease and make it more challenging to manage. This reality can lead to a cycle of poor health.
The cycle begins when an individual or family cannot afford enough nutritious food. The combination of financial stress and inadequate nutrition can result in poor disease management. The time and money needed to respond to these worsening health crises further drains the household budget, leaving little money for essential nutrition and medical care.
This causes the cycle to continue. Food insecurity also negatively impacts the lives of future generations. In the United States today, 13 million children.
lack regular access to nutritious food. Children at risk of hunger are more likely to be in poor health and struggle in school. For some, it may have negative lifelong implications that could prevent a developing child from reaching their full potential.
Together, we can make real change. We can break the cycle and build healthy, strong communities. Join the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks as we work to ensure all Americans have access to the nutritious foods we need to thrive. Take action. Advocate.
Volunteer. Donate. Visit hungerandhealth.org to learn how you can make a difference today. Together, we can end hunger.