Choose one of the goals for Health People 2020 and describe how it may be linked to food insecurity.
The Healthy People 2020 goal to achieve health equity is related to food insecurity because it shows that there are people in the United States that do not have equal access to nutritious food hence they are deficit in food choices as compared to others, and the health goal is to provide them access to healthy food, thus maintain health equity. (N.a 1369).
What percent of the population in the US, experienced food insecurity during the 2008 year? What is it now?
More than about 49 million individuals suffered from food insecurity in the year 2008 making up to 85.4% of the population. Today the percentage is 14%. (N.a 1369).
Who are most at risk for experiencing food insecurity?
Food insecurity is most acutely experienced by the minority populations and low-income homes. Households with higher poverty ratio to incomes, with children in a home headed by a single woman/mother, households that are run by black, Hispanics or non-Hispanics, and households that are located in the principle locales of the metropolitan cities. (N.a 1370).
According to the article, what are some of the decisions that people are living with food insecurity face (list 2-3) in terms of providing food for their family? What are some coping strategies (list 2-3)?
The several decisions they need to take is to feed the children in the home and consume less food themselves; usually, it is the mother who sacrifices. As food security worsens in recession, they need to ration their food. The coping strategies include eating less varied diets, obtaining emergency food from soup kitchens and pantries and participating in federal food nutrition assistance programs. (N.a 1371).
What do you believe is the role of the dietitian in terms of addressing food insecurity?
The role of the dietitian is to help promote, bring awareness to and help to ensure that steps will be taken to improve the food security situation. They bring the attention to the food security issue to the federal government and try to address the issue to the other people who are privileged as well as to the governmental organizations. (N.a 1374).
List 1-2 nutrition-related consequences of food insecurity in children and adults. Nutritionally, why is it important to address food insecurity?
In children, physical and cognitive health issues can result out of food insecurity, such as consuming fatty foods instead of fruits and vegetables. Adults can also suffer from malnutrition, early death and health diseases like diabetes. It is important to address food insecurity because good health is everyone’s need and it will ensure a good future for America as well. Only healthy people can succeed and do well in life. (N.a 1375).
Choose an intervention to address food insecurity. Do you believe it could be effective in the long-term and if so explain why and how?
I would choose the federal nutrition assistance program where the school means of providing nutrition is taken. This is because it would inculcate healthy eating habits in children and once one school would show improved health in children, soon all schools would follow suit and show good results.(N.a 1376).
Works Cited
N.a. The position of the American Dietetic Association: Food Insecurity in the United States. Journal of the AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION. 2010. 1368-1377.
