healthy food - FOOD BANKS FIGHT DIABETES - SIBEJO

Many people who depend on food pantries are not underfed, but are obese and diabetic, experts have found. In 2014, one-third of the 15.5 million households served by Feeding America, the nation�s largest hunger-relief organization, reported that a household member had diabetes. Inconsistent access to food worsens the disease, and so can the offerings at the pantries many low-income people must rely on. A growing body of research links food insecurity to uncontrolled diabetes. Diet is partly to blame: The inexpensive food favored by people stretching their dollars is often low in fiber and rich in carbohydrates, which contribute to obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Even when food bank patrons are aware they have diabetes � and many do know � they are not in a position to turn down free fare. Now researchers have begun pursuing innovative new methods to address Type 2 diabetes among people who rely on food banks.  A randomized trial in San Francisco and two other sites seeks to help patrons gain control of both their diets and Type 2 diabetes. Researchers asked pantry patrons if they wanted their blood sugar checked and, if it was high, whether they wanted to enroll in a six-month program to lower it. (A control group was told to wait six months to begin.) For those who enrolled, a staff member handpicked appropriate food from the bank�s shelves, saying no to prepackaged junk, yes to asparagus and peanut butter. Participants pick up bags of selected food twice a month. They also receive referrals to a primary care physician, classes about diabetes management, and regular blood sugar checks. The initial results have been promising. In a pilot study of nearly 700 food pantry visitors in Texas, California and Ohio, participants with the worst blood sugar readings managed modest improvements in a relatively short time.

Source: New York Times, 6/21/16, Food Banks & Diabetes

healthy food - ADVANCING HEALTH THROUGH FOOD SECURITY - SIBEJO

A recent report considers policy and economic assumptions regarding the short- and long-term impacts of food insecurity on healthcare costs. The report explores the relationship between food insecurity, healthcare costs, poverty, and health outcomes (including obesity), and opportunities for the public and private sectors to address food insecurity. The report finds that food insecurity is a risk factor for poor nutrition, many diet-related diseases, and poor health in the short-term and long-term. For example, food insecurity among children is associated with birth defects, low birth weight, anxiety, and learning difficulties. Despite current research limitations, the data that are available provide strong evidence that food insecurity is associated with significant healthcare costs. For example, one anti-hunger organization estimates the health-related costs of hunger and food insecurity at approximately $160 billion.

The report�s authors call for policymakers to sustain and strengthen support for food safety net programs like SNAP. They want the food industry to be more actively engaged in food security strategies, such as improving food affordability and addressing food insecurity. In addition, health organizations should develop protocols to identify and address food insecurity in clinical settings. Nonprofit organizations should continue to make connections between food insecurity and health, set priorities, and support federal nutrition program implementation. Finally, they call for more investments in food security research that examines the impacts of food insecurity on healthcare costs.

Source: Food Research Action Council, 4/16, Food Security & Health

healthy food - THE HIGH COST OF HUNGER - SIBEJO

Hunger costs the U.S. at least $160 billion in poor health outcomes and additional healthcare expenses � and about half of these hunger-related health costs ($78.7 billion) were due to depression, anxiety or suicide. Research shows that children who grow up in impoverished or food-insecure households are exposed to toxic levels of stress that contribute to the early onset of chronic diseases and make children more vulnerable to depression and thoughts of suicide, substance abuse, and dropping out of school. Not finishing school severely limits employment opportunities in adulthood. The mental burden of hunger does not ease with age. Food-insecure seniors are 60 percent more likely to experience depression than their food-secure counterparts,

Source: Bread for the World, 3/29/16, Hunger & Mental Health