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4

Environmental & Community Health 4: Food Insecurity and Nutrition Access

Natalia Gomez

NaFlorida National University

Health Promotion & Role Development in Adv. Nursing Practice

Dr. Nora Hernandez-Pupo

March 13, 2026

Food Insecurity and Nutrition Access

Introducing the problem

Food insecurity and lack of access to nutritious foods are still serious issues of public health with severe impacts on the health outcomes of populations. Food insecurity is the impossibility of people or families to have continuous access to enough, safe, and nutritious food to lead an active and healthy life. This problem is a contributing factor to many health-related issues such as malnutrition, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Promotional approaches towards nutrition access should be prioritized since dietary practices have a significant impact on long-term health outcomes. Food insecurity is a significant health promotion agenda, thus, since it directly impacts physical health, mental health, and health equity.

The global relevance of the problem, including statistics

Food insecurity is a major challenge to attaining optimal health and is still a significant problem for millions of people worldwide. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reported that there were 691 million to 783 million hungry people worldwide in 2022, with the average number of about 735 million people, or about 9.2 percent of the global population, meaning that world hunger is still as high as it was before the COVID-19 (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2023). Poverty, conflict, climate change, and economic instability are closely related to food insecurity that alters food systems and reduces access to healthy foods. Unhealthy diets also cause the prevalence of undernutrition and obesity and result in what public health experts call the double burden of malnutrition. The studies have demonstrated that populations at risk of food insecurity have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, because of inadequate access to healthy foods and because of consuming low-cost and highly processed food (Odoms-Young et al., 2024). These international trends are showing the necessity of health promotion practices that will consider nutrition access and help to promote healthier food systems.

The national relevance of the problem using statistics

Food insecurity is a significant issue of interest in the United States, although the nation has an abundance of food. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food insecurity was found to be 12.8% of U.S. households in 2022, which was over 17 million households, which was higher than the 10.2% in 2021 (Odoms-Young et al., 2024). Racial and ethnic minority groups, low-income households, and those with children have been greatly affected by food insecurity. Research has demonstrated that people living in food insecurity have a higher risk of becoming obese, developing type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (Thomas et al., 2021). There is also the problem of limited access to healthy foods, commonly associated with the so-called food deserts, where the local population has limited access to affordable fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods. Within the United States, health promotion interventions, especially those aimed at promoting food access, such as nutrition education and community gardening, food assistance, and policy-based interventions to enhance healthier food settings are becoming more common.

The local relevance and perspective of the problem using statistics

Food insecurity continues to be a major problem at the local level in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Food insecurity is also a significant problem in Miami-Dade, with poor communities and immigrants being the most vulnerable. According to a study of food insecurity in Miami-Dade County, Florida, food insecurity increased to approximately 13.7 percent of the population in 2022, and even higher levels of food insecurity among Hispanic and Latino populations, where it is noted that approximately 16.0 percent of the county population is experiencing food insecurity, indicating high levels of disparity in food security in the county (Treloar et al., 2024). Moreover, the neighborhoods in Miami-Dade have a high number of food deserts, with the residents having to drive a long way to buy healthy foods at local grocery stores that are affordable. The high cost of living, housing unpredictability, and financial inequalities are some of the factors that make access to food by most of the families in the region challenging (Ogwu et al., 2024). To overcome these challenges, local health departments and community organizations have put up programs like mobile food pantries, nutrition assistance programs, and community-based health promotion programs. Nevertheless, food insecurity remains a problem for thousands of residents, and thus, it is a priority health problem that community health promotion initiatives of Miami should focus on.

Conclusion

Overall, since food insecurity has major effects on the globe, nationally, and locally, it is imperative to come up with effective health promotion strategies to improve population health and to minimize health disparities. To tackle such a problem, there must be concerted efforts that include the public health agencies, healthcare providers, policymakers, and community entities. Health promotion can focus on healthier foods at reduced prices, better nutrition education, and tightening food support policies that will provide the disadvantaged groups with an opportunity. By implementing targeted steps at different tiers, communities will be in a position to access nutrition, reduce the chances of suffering chronic diseases, and enhance healthy living among individuals and families.

References

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2023). 2.1 Food security indicators – latest updates and progress towards ending hunger and ensuring food security. Retrieved from: https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/f1ee0c49-04e7-43df-9b83-6820f4f37ca9/content/state-food-security-and-nutrition-2023/food-security-nutrition-indicators.html

Odoms-Young, A., Brown, A. G., Agurs-Collins, T., & Glanz, K. (2024). Food insecurity, neighborhood food environment, and health disparities: state of the science, research gaps and opportunities.  The American journal of clinical nutrition,  119(3), 850-861. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.12.019

Ogwu, M. C., Izah, S. C., Ntuli, N. R., & Odubo, T. C. (2024). Food security complexities in the global south. In  Food safety and quality in the global south (pp. 3-33). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-2428-4_1

Thomas, M. K., Lammert, L. J., & Beverly, E. A. (2021). Food insecurity and its impact on body weight, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health.  Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports,  15(9), 15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-021-00679-3

Treloar, D., Taylor, D. E., & Bell, A. (2024). Understanding Food Insecurity and Participation in Food Assistance Programs among Hispanic/Latino Residents of Hialeah, Florida, before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Sustainability,  16(17), 7612. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177612

4

Environmental & Community Health 4: Food Insecurity and Nutrition Access

Natalia Gomez

NaFlorida National University

Health Promotion & Role Development in Adv. Nursing Practice

Dr. Nora Hernandez-Pupo

March 13, 2026

Food Insecurity and Nutrition Access

Introducing the problem

Food insecurity and lack of access to nutritious foods are still serious issues of public health with severe impacts on the health outcomes of populations. Food insecurity is the impossibility of people or families to have continuous access to enough, safe, and nutritious food to lead an active and healthy life. This problem is a contributing factor to many health-related issues such as malnutrition, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Promotional approaches towards nutrition access should be prioritized since dietary practices have a significant impact on long-term health outcomes. Food insecurity is a significant health promotion agenda, thus, since it directly impacts physical health, mental health, and health equity.

The global relevance of the problem, including statistics

Food insecurity is a major challenge to attaining optimal health and is still a significant problem for millions of people worldwide. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reported that there were 691 million to 783 million hungry people worldwide in 2022, with the average number of about 735 million people, or about 9.2 percent of the global population, meaning that world hunger is still as high as it was before the COVID-19 (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2023). Poverty, conflict, climate change, and economic instability are closely related to food insecurity that alters food systems and reduces access to healthy foods. Unhealthy diets also cause the prevalence of undernutrition and obesity and result in what public health experts call the double burden of malnutrition. The studies have demonstrated that populations at risk of food insecurity have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, because of inadequate access to healthy foods and because of consuming low-cost and highly processed food (Odoms-Young et al., 2024). These international trends are showing the necessity of health promotion practices that will consider nutrition access and help to promote healthier food systems.

The national relevance of the problem using statistics

Food insecurity is a significant issue of interest in the United States, although the nation has an abundance of food. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food insecurity was found to be 12.8% of U.S. households in 2022, which was over 17 million households, which was higher than the 10.2% in 2021 (Odoms-Young et al., 2024). Racial and ethnic minority groups, low-income households, and those with children have been greatly affected by food insecurity. Research has demonstrated that people living in food insecurity have a higher risk of becoming obese, developing type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (Thomas et al., 2021). There is also the problem of limited access to healthy foods, commonly associated with the so-called food deserts, where the local population has limited access to affordable fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods. Within the United States, health promotion interventions, especially those aimed at promoting food access, such as nutrition education and community gardening, food assistance, and policy-based interventions to enhance healthier food settings are becoming more common.

The local relevance and perspective of the problem using statistics

Food insecurity continues to be a major problem at the local level in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Food insecurity is also a significant problem in Miami-Dade, with poor communities and immigrants being the most vulnerable. According to a study of food insecurity in Miami-Dade County, Florida, food insecurity increased to approximately 13.7 percent of the population in 2022, and even higher levels of food insecurity among Hispanic and Latino populations, where it is noted that approximately 16.0 percent of the county population is experiencing food insecurity, indicating high levels of disparity in food security in the county (Treloar et al., 2024). Moreover, the neighborhoods in Miami-Dade have a high number of food deserts, with the residents having to drive a long way to buy healthy foods at local grocery stores that are affordable. The high cost of living, housing unpredictability, and financial inequalities are some of the factors that make access to food by most of the families in the region challenging (Ogwu et al., 2024). To overcome these challenges, local health departments and community organizations have put up programs like mobile food pantries, nutrition assistance programs, and community-based health promotion programs. Nevertheless, food insecurity remains a problem for thousands of residents, and thus, it is a priority health problem that community health promotion initiatives of Miami should focus on.

Conclusion

Overall, since food insecurity has major effects on the globe, nationally, and locally, it is imperative to come up with effective health promotion strategies to improve population health and to minimize health disparities. To tackle such a problem, there must be concerted efforts that include the public health agencies, healthcare providers, policymakers, and community entities. Health promotion can focus on healthier foods at reduced prices, better nutrition education, and tightening food support policies that will provide the disadvantaged groups with an opportunity. By implementing targeted steps at different tiers, communities will be in a position to access nutrition, reduce the chances of suffering chronic diseases, and enhance healthy living among individuals and families.

References

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2023). 2.1 Food security indicators – latest updates and progress towards ending hunger and ensuring food security. Retrieved from: https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/f1ee0c49-04e7-43df-9b83-6820f4f37ca9/content/state-food-security-and-nutrition-2023/food-security-nutrition-indicators.html

Odoms-Young, A., Brown, A. G., Agurs-Collins, T., & Glanz, K. (2024). Food insecurity, neighborhood food environment, and health disparities: state of the science, research gaps and opportunities.  The American journal of clinical nutrition,  119(3), 850-861. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.12.019

Ogwu, M. C., Izah, S. C., Ntuli, N. R., & Odubo, T. C. (2024). Food security complexities in the global south. In  Food safety and quality in the global south (pp. 3-33). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-2428-4_1

Thomas, M. K., Lammert, L. J., & Beverly, E. A. (2021). Food insecurity and its impact on body weight, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health.  Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports,  15(9), 15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-021-00679-3

Treloar, D., Taylor, D. E., & Bell, A. (2024). Understanding Food Insecurity and Participation in Food Assistance Programs among Hispanic/Latino Residents of Hialeah, Florida, before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Sustainability,  16(17), 7612. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177612