Overview
Food security exists when people have reliable access to enough safe, nutritious food that meets their needs and preferences for a healthy life. It is shaped by household income, food prices, food supply, transport, conflict, climate, and public services. Food insecurity can affect individuals, families, neighborhoods, and entire countries.
Causes and Risk Factors
Common causes include low income, unemployment, high food prices, debt, poor transport, and lack of nearby food stores or markets. Conflict, displacement, crop failure, drought, floods, and other disasters can disrupt food production and access. Illness, disability, social isolation, and discrimination can also make it harder to get or prepare food.
Who Is Affected
Food insecurity can affect anyone, but some groups face higher risk. This includes people living in poverty, children, older adults, refugees and displaced people, rural communities affected by crop loss, and people in areas affected by conflict or disasters. People with chronic disease or limited mobility may also have extra difficulty shopping, cooking, or paying for food.
Prevention
Prevention depends on both household and community support. Helpful measures can include income support, school meals, breastfeeding support, food assistance programs, stable food supply systems, clean water, and emergency planning for disasters. At a local level, community kitchens, food banks, transport support, and nutrition education may reduce harm.
Diagnosis and Tests
Food security is not diagnosed with one medical test. It is usually identified through questions about whether people can afford food, skip meals, worry that food will run out, or cannot access balanced meals. Healthcare workers, social workers, schools, and public health agencies may use screening questions and look for signs of poor nutrition or related health problems.
Treatment Categories
Addressing food insecurity often involves social and public health support rather than a single medical treatment. Support may include food assistance programs, school feeding, social protection, nutrition counseling, treatment for malnutrition, and help with housing, transport, or income needs. In severe situations such as famine, displacement, or serious malnutrition, urgent humanitarian and medical care may be needed.
Living With It
Living with food insecurity can cause ongoing stress, difficult trade-offs, and strain on family life. People may skip meals, reduce food quality, or choose between food and other essentials such as rent, medicine, or fuel. Reaching out to local services, community groups, schools, or health clinics can help connect households with practical support.
Diet and Lifestyle
When resources are limited, planning meals, using staple foods wisely, and choosing affordable nutrient-rich foods when available may help support health. Clean water, safe food storage, and food hygiene are also important, especially during emergencies. If possible, ask a local health worker, community nutrition program, or public service about culturally appropriate low-cost meal ideas and support options.
When to Seek Medical Care
Seek medical care if a child or adult shows signs that poor food intake may be affecting health, such as weight loss, weakness, fainting, dehydration, frequent illness, or concern for malnutrition. Pregnant people, infants, older adults, and people with chronic disease may need prompt assessment if food access is disrupted. It is also reasonable to ask a healthcare professional or social service provider for help if food stress is affecting mental health or the ability to manage a health condition.
When It May Be an Emergency
Urgent help may be needed if someone cannot eat or drink, shows severe weakness, confusion, collapse, signs of severe dehydration, or signs of severe acute malnutrition. Emergencies can also happen during disasters, conflict, displacement, or when an infant or medically fragile person has no reliable food source. Contact local emergency services, urgent medical care, or humanitarian services right away in these situations.