Food Insecurity And Health Assignment Sample

Assessment Task 1

Access Free Samples Prepared by our Subject Matter Experts, known for offering the Best Online Assignment Help Services in Australia.

Assessment Task 1.1: The Wicked Problem

1. Introduction to the Wicked Problem

A complex problem, food insecurity is defined as a lack of reliable or restricted access to nutritious diets. It is a health wicked problem, which is a chronic, complicated issue with an interconnected chain of interrelated causes. It has been noticed that there are strong interconnection between public health and the insecurity of food. Food insecurity can lead to chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and malnutrition.

There are several reasons food insecurity is considered a wicked problem. The leading causes and drivers of food insecurity are described in the following:

Inability to Access Agricultural Lands: The land used for farming or growing food is also used to create revenue, but a lot of individuals lack access to farmland or cannot afford to own it. Ownership of land increases the production of agriculture since it may be utilized to grow a variety of food crops, even on a small scale. Lack of access to agricultural land deprives one of the most essential needed to grow food crops.

Violence, Conflict, War: Violence, conflict, and war have an impact on the production of food and its supplies. According to the FAO (“Food and Agricultural Organisation”) report in 2018, due to conflict, 5.5 million Syrians faced food insecurity.

Inequitable Trade Policies: Sometimes it has been noticed inequitable trade policies impact food insecurity. Small-scale farmers frequently serve as labourers on “contracted farms”, but larger-scale farmers “obtain arrangements for the supply of food”. These kinds of actions exacerbate the food insecurity experienced by financially unstable farmers.

Biofuels: From sugar cane and corn agrofuels are produced, these are responsible for environmental change. Firms will be shifted to produce these plants and crops for biofuels which will reduce the amount of grain that is available for human consumption.

Natural disasters: Cyclones, floods, and typhoons destroy the entire harvest and destroy crops. Climate changes have an effect on agriculture.

Wastage of food: In FAO report shows that most developed countries waste “1.3 billion tons of edible food” yearly.

Financialization of food: Increases in prices in the global food market lead to a serious and prolonged crisis of food. Due to these consequences malnutrition, hunger and food insecurity occur.

Figure 1: Food insecurity considered a wicked problem

(Source: Self-created in MS Word)

2. The burden

2.1 health & Healthcare Burden

Description through epidemiological research the impact of food insecurity problem on health

When access to adequate quantities of reasonably priced, nutrient-dense food is restricted or interrupted because of a lack of funds or other resources, eating habits and nutrient intake are disrupted, leading to food insecurity. In 2021 USDA national statistics indicated that “33.8 million people” were suffering from food insecurity during the year (De Marchis, et al. 2019). This incident has been interconnected to poor health and chronic health conditions like diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, cancer, arthritis, stroke, COPD, asthma, and kidney disease in both young and adults. In 2022 cross cross-sectional survey indicated that food insecurity was interlinked with higher liver stiffness in 50-year-old adult people and this chances increases cirrhosis and fibrosis chances in old people. According to a 2020 review that was published in “Pediatric Clinics of North America”, children who lack access to nutritious food and those who have poorer eating habits suffer from chronic illness (Whatnall, et al. 2020). They are suffering from mental disorders like depression, and anxiety. They also have a higher incidence of asthma, anemia, and type 1, and 2 diabetes.

The current and future healthcare burden associated with this problem

In Australia, food security is a serious problem that has a substantial impact on healthcare. Due to this incidence, some chronic illness arises like malnutrition, diabetes, hypertension, mental health problem etc. The long-term effect of food insecurity is a delay in child development which can result in ongoing healthcare requirements (Elgar, et al. 2021). To lessen these kinds of problems improve overall health, lower the healthcare cost so that everyone can get access to health facilities and improve the quality of individual life.

2.2 Social, Economic & Political

Social

In Australia, there is a substantial social, economic and political cost interrelated with food insecurity. Socially it has an impact on the exposed Australian population's well-being, resulting in improper nutrition, weakened mental health and poor standard of living. This incidence also effects on child's growth (Pak and Kim, 2020). This incidence is mostly viewed where the society is ongoing at the poverty level. Australian people who have low income, those who live in remote areas, Aboriginal and Torres people, and elderly people are mostly affected by food insecurity.

Political

Some political factors like business operations and some external constraints are responsible for food insecurity (Martinez, et al. 2019). Due to political war and violent conflict, the prices of food increase and due to this the low middle class people suffer from food insecurity.

Economic

Lower education, unemployment, and social isolation are interrelated with food insecurity. Basically in Australia Aboriginal and Torres people mostly suffer from this incidence (Thomas, et al. 2019). To prevent this the government of Australia is aware that all the people get the same healthcare facilities.

Assessment 1.2: The Determinants

The Determinants of the Wicked Problem

1.1 The Determinants

In Australia, the factors which are related to food insecurity are a very critical matter. Unemployment, poverty and low-income rates increase due to the growing population which affects food insecurity. Due to population growth poor living patterns have been noticed and the outcome is a lack of affordable housing. Hence people do not access basic needs chronic health conditions arise (Wong, et al. 2019). People do not get access to healthcare access.

Different factors responsible for perpetuating food insecurity:

Population growth: Population growth is inversely proportional to food and resources. If incase population increases then it has a major effect on getting food and resources for the people. Lower education, poverty level, and unemployment rate are primary drivers of food insecurity. It has been noticed that those people who have low income rates are struggling to get adequate access to nutritious food.

Geographical access: Some areas in Australia like Aboriginal and Torres people lack access to healthy food choices which lead to food insecurity (Dean, et al. 2020).

Climatic change: Some environmental changes like a flood, severe storms, droughts, rising sea levels increase poverty and displacement (Begley, et al. 2019). These consequences can disrupt the production of food and its availability.

Conflict and Displacement: Some political and socio-economic conflicts can disrupt the supply chain process of food and this creates a shortage of food (Dush, 2020).

Figure2: Factors causing and perpetuating food insecurity

(Source: Self-created in MS Word)

Impact on health outcome

Impact on children: Children who experience food insecurity and those who come from hose where food is scarce are likely to need hospitalization and develop long-term health impact like anemia, and asthma. Those children frequently experience oral health issues. Due to lack access of food, they have lower physical growth.

Malnutrition: Nutritional deficiencies occur due to a lack of food that has a negative impact of a child's development and overall health (Wolfson, et al. 2020). Poor access to food also enhance the risk of chronic disease like cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer etc.

Quality of life reduced: Due to their deteriorating health, people and communities dealing with these issues may have a lower quality of life.

Mental health: The scarcity of food has an adverse impact on mental health. Due to this depression, stress and anxiety increase in people.

Healthcare cost: These problems contribute to a burden on healthcare systems and raise the cost of healthcare.

1.2 Equity & Health Equity

Equity and food insecurity are closely linked. Food insecurity frequently stems from social injustices as well as makes them more serious. Food insecurity particularly impacts underprivileged and low-income communities and minorities, among other groups that are vulnerable (Niles, et al. 2020). Systemic issues like inequality in income and restricted access to resources lead to food insecurity, which can be both the cause and the effect of inequality.

It has been observed that in Australia, the impact of food insecurity varies amongst groups. Marginalized populations suffer more serious repercussions, such as poor health outcomes. Since having access to nutritious foods is a key factor in determining one's general health, this issue directly affects one's right to health, underscoring the significance of resolving the problem of food insecurity for equitable health care.

2. Current and Future Challenges to public health

Implication of this wicked problem on current and future public health

The issue of insecurity is complicated and widespread with significant consequences for both present and future public health initiatives. This wicked problem has a substantial effect on the population's health and their well-being system and disease prevention.

Insecurity of food is closely interrelated with the health issue. It has been noticed that insufficient access to vitamins and nutritious food can cause malnutrition in children, and due to this physical and mental growth are hampered (Ettinger de Cuba, et al. 2019). Those individuals are suffering from food insecurity they mostly eat a poor nutrient and high-calorie diet. Due to the intake high calories diet cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity occur among those people.

The issue of food insecurity creates an ongoing cycle within healthcare systems. Food insecure people are more likely to put away getting medical attention because of economic limitations or insurance issues, which can lead to delayed diagnoses and deteriorating health conditions. This puts more strain on healthcare systems and reduces their ability to deliver timely care effectively. The expenses incurred in treating diet-related illnesses put further strain on public health budgets, taking funds away from preventative initiatives. The effects of food insecurity on population health are deep and widespread. Because Australia's marginalized communities suffer most significantly, it maintains health disparities at an extreme level. Expanding up in food-insecure homes can cause physical and mental developmental problems for children that may have an impact on their long-term well-being (Keith-Jennings, et al. 2019). The public health issue is further exacerbated by the depression and anxiety that come with eating too little, which can result in mental health issues. A comprehensive approach to address these implications. The government policies should be aimed at reducing the poverty level in Australia, and everyone gets equal access to education and proper health facilities. This helps to improve the quality of life of the poor people.

The following section discusses some possible solutions for disease prevention due to food insecurity

Food waste reduction: To reduce food insecurity must reduce the wastage of food. For this improve storage facilities, and also all the people's access to nutritious food. In this way those diseases are interrelated with this incidence the rate gradually decreases.

Reduce the commercializing risk: Insecurity of food will decrease if food is grown with the intention of feeding the community. When there are enough food crops on the market, farmers can grow more (Pereira and Oliveira, 2020). If there is enough food on the market, there will not be as much risk of commercialization of it. Governments should put in place initiatives that let farmers determine when there is enough food for everyone.

Improve trade policies: Due to unfair trade policies in the economic market farmers fail to feed all the people. The Australian Government should improve policies so that everyone gets equal access to food and health facilities.

Promote diversification: In order to enhance food security, providing education regarding the significance of varied and nutritious diets for enhanced nutrition is required.

Figure3: Possible solutions for disease prevention due to food insecurity

(Source: Self-created in MS Word)

Assessment 1.3: Evidence Appraisal & Summary

1. The strength

The strengths of current public health approaches to addressing food insecurity and its associated health challenges include:

1. Scale of Response: A lot of public health programs are tackling food insecurity by implementing extensive measures as they become more aware of how big of a problem it is (McKay, et al. 2020). Even though there are still obstacles to ensuring full accessibility, initiatives like food banks, school meal programs, and nutritional assistance are contributing to reaching a larger segment of the population.
2. Rights and Equity Focus: Human rights and equity are the main goals of current initiatives. Initiatives like the Australian Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (ASNAP) and other similar initiatives around the world aim to lessen inequalities by helping the poor and expanding the availability of nutrient-dense foods.
3. Factors Influencing Addressed: More health promotion strategies are taking into account the broader determinants of both health and food insecurity (Wolfson and Leung, 2020). In addition to addressing the root causes of issues such as inequality in earnings, education, and employment opportunities they also concentrate on it.
4. Accurate Evidence: There is a strong and constantly growing body of evidence that supports these interventions. In order to ensure that evidence-based tactics are used to address food insecurity and its health implications, researchers and public health experts are actively studying the effects of interventions.

Figure4: Strengths of the current public health approaches

(Source: Self-created in MS Word)

2. The Limitations

Current public health approaches to addressing food insecurity, a complex and wicked problem, have several limitations:

Figure5: Limitations of the current public health approaches

(Source: self-created in MS Word)

1. Scale of the Response: Frequently, the response's scope is insufficient to address the problem's scope. Numerous Australian Aboriginal and Torres people are impacted by food insecurity, and it's possible that not everyone will be able to access the resources and interventions currently in place.
2. Equity and Rights: It's possible that current interventions don't always focus on equity enough (Polsky and Gilmour, 2020). Access to healthy food can still be impacted by socioeconomic differences, with marginalized communities experiencing greater rates of food insecurity.
3. Determinants: Public health approaches often focus on immediate improvements, such as programs that offer food assistance, but fall short in addressing the root causes of food scarcity, which include poverty level, illiteracy, and limited access to affordable, nutritious food options.
4. Evidence Reliability: It is imperative to guarantee that actions in public health are grounded in evidence (Penne and Goedemé, 2021). However, due to a lack of research, changing dietary suggestions, and changing financial circumstances, it can be difficult to determine how reliable the evidence is.

3. The Implications

Implications of Strengths:

Scale of Response: Increase potential development of food insecurity and take government initiatives so that everyone can get equal access of food and health facilities. This promotes awareness-raising and the mobilization of resources. However, accessibility constraints may still prevent some vulnerable groups from being included (Men, et al. 2021). Consequently, even though there has been some progress in lowering food insecurity, more effort must be made to ensure that nobody is left behind.

2. The focus on Human Rights and Equity: Human rights and equity must be given first priority in the fight against food insecurity. It recognizes that the root of the problem is often social and economic inequality for food insecurity. By addressing these issues, the current initiatives seek to establish a society that is more just and equitable (Fitzpatrick, et al. 2021). Given the limitations on equity across all socioeconomic categories, it seems that even more targeted interventions are needed to close the disparity. This implies that there is still a chance to guarantee that everyone has equal access to healthful food, even though equity is a top priority.

3. Factor address: Considering more expansive determinants of health and food insecurity is a beneficial approach. It acknowledges that there are numerous interrelated social, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to food insecurity and that it is not just a matter of hunger. This implies that while factors are recognized, more comprehensive, multi-sectoral strategies are needed to effectively address the underlying issues.

4. Reliable Evidence: creating well-informed decisions requires relying on an expanding body of evidence (McKay, et al. 2019). It guarantees that the foundation of interventions is solid research and analysis. However, the evidence might not always be current due to the unpredictable nature of food insecurity, shifting dietary recommendations, and changing financial situations. It is implied that although evidence-based methods are useful, a mechanism should be in place to regularly update and modify tactics in response to emerging information.

Implications of Limitations:

1. Response Scale: The response's limited scope indicates that the existing policies may not be sufficient to address food insecurity to its greatest potential extent. This suggests that in order to fully address the issue, more resources, creative solutions, and cooperation between various sectors are required.
2. Equity and Rights: The restriction on equity emphasizes the necessity of making sure that interventions are truly beneficial to everyone, irrespective of their financial situation (Seivwright, et al. 2020). It indicates that in order to lessen disparities in access to nutrient-dense food, a more focused and customized strategy is needed.
3. Determinants: While concentrating on immediate solutions is necessary, addressing the underlying issues is just as crucial (Kent, et al. 2020). The restriction highlights the need for all-encompassing policies that address poverty reduction, education, and food system reform in addition to providing short-term assistance.

4. Evidence Reliability: A strong and flexible research infrastructure is crucial, as the problem of evidence reliability makes clear. It suggests that in order to maintain the evidence-based and efficaciousness of strategies, continuous monitoring and assessment of interventions are essential.

References

Journals

• Begley, A., Paynter, E., Butcher, L.M. and Dhaliwal, S.S., 2019. Examining the association between food literacy and food insecurity. Nutrients, 11(2), p.445.
• De Marchis, E.H., Torres, J.M., Benesch, T., Fichtenberg, C., Allen, I.E., Whitaker, E.M. and Gottlieb, L.M., 2019. Interventions addressing food insecurity in health care settings: a systematic review. The Annals of Family Medicine, 17(5), pp.436-447.
• Dean, E.B., French, M.T. and Mortensen, K., 2020. Food insecurity, health care utilization, and health care expenditures. Health services research, 55, pp.883-893.
• Dush, J.L., 2020. Adolescent food insecurity: A review of contextual and behavioral factors. Public health nursing, 37(3), pp.327-338.
• Elgar, F.J., Pickett, W., Pförtner, T.K., Gariépy, G., Gordon, D., Georgiades, K., Davison, C., Hammami, N., MacNeil, A.H., Da Silva, M.A. and Melgar-Quiñonez, H.R., 2021. Relative food insecurity, mental health and wellbeing in 160 countries. Social science & medicine, 268, p.113556.
• Ettinger de Cuba, S., Chilton, M., Bovell-Ammon, A., Knowles, M., Coleman, S.M., Black, M.M., Cook, J.T., Cutts, D.B., Casey, P.H., Heeren, T.C. and Frank, D.A., 2019. Loss of SNAP is associated with food insecurity and poor health in working families with young children. Health Affairs, 38(5), pp.765-773.
• Fitzpatrick, K.M., Harris, C., Drawve, G. and Willis, D.E., 2021. Assessing food insecurity among US adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 16(1), pp.1-18.
• Keith-Jennings, B., Llobrera, J. and Dean, S., 2019. Links of the supplemental nutrition assistance program with food insecurity, poverty, and health: evidence and potential. American journal of public health, 109(12), pp.1636-1640.
• Kent, K., Murray, S., Penrose, B., Auckland, S., Visentin, D., Godrich, S. and Lester, E., 2020. Prevalence and socio-demographic predictors of food insecurity in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients, 12(9), p.2682.
• Martinez, S.M., Grandner, M.A., Nazmi, A., Canedo, E.R. and Ritchie, L.D., 2019. Pathways from food insecurity to health outcomes among California university students. Nutrients, 11(6), p.1419.
• McKay, F.H., Haines, B.C. and Dunn, M., 2019. Measuring and understanding food insecurity in Australia: A systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(3), p.476.
• McKay, F.H., Haines, B.C., Beswick, H., McKenzie, H. and Lindberg, R., 2020. The prevalence, severity and experience of food insecurity in Australia: An investigation of food aid use. Health & Social Care in the Community, 28(6), pp.2399-2407.
• Men, F., Elgar, F.J. and Tarasuk, V., 2021. Food insecurity is associated with mental health problems among Canadian youth. J Epidemiol Community Health, 75(8), pp.741-748.
• Niles, M.T., Bertmann, F., Belarmino, E.H., Wentworth, T., Biehl, E. and Neff, R., 2020. The early food insecurity impacts of COVID-19. Nutrients, 12(7), p.2096.
• Pak, T.Y. and Kim, G., 2020. Food stamps, food insecurity, and health outcomes among elderly Americans. Preventive medicine, 130, p.105871.
• Penne, T. and Goedemé, T., 2021. Can low-income households afford a healthy diet? Insufficient income as a driver of food insecurity in Europe. Food Policy, 99, p.101978.
• Pereira, M. and Oliveira, A.M., 2020. Poverty and food insecurity may increase as the threat of COVID-19 spreads. Public health nutrition, 23(17), pp.3236-3240.
• Polsky, J.Y. and Gilmour, H., 2020. Food insecurity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Rep, 31(12), pp.3-11.
• Seivwright, A.N., Callis, Z. and Flatau, P., 2020. Food insecurity and socioeconomic disadvantage in Australia. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(2), p.559.
• Thomas, M., Miller, D.P. and Morrissey, T.W., 2019. Food insecurity and child health. Pediatrics, 144(4).
• Whatnall, M.C., Hutchesson, M.J. and Patterson, A.J., 2020. Predictors of food insecurity among Australian university students: A cross-sectional study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(1), p.60.
• Wolfson, J.A. and Leung, C.W., 2020. Food insecurity and COVID-19: disparities in early effects for US adults. Nutrients, 12(6), p.1648.
• Wolfson, J.A. and Leung, C.W., 2020. Food insecurity during COVID-19: an acute crisis with long-term health implications. American journal of public health, 110(12), pp.1763-1765.
• Wong, P.D., Parkin, P.C., Moodie, R.G., Dai, D.W., Maguire, J.L., Birken, C.S., Borkhoff, C.M. and TARGet Kids! Collaboration, 2019. Total breastfeeding duration and household food insecurity in healthy urban children. Academic Pediatrics, 19(8), pp.884-890.