Most everyone has learned about the horrific starvation of children in Gaza and Sudan, but many do not know about hunger right here in the United States.
One out of four Americans don’t know where their next meal is coming from: In other words, they suffer from food insecurity. For children, the elderly, and the disabled, the statistics are gloomier The loss of SNAP benefits (Food Stamps) for the first time in 60 years, after the Administration refused to use emergency funds to fill the gap during the Federal government shutdown (though they were used in the past) worsened things for everyone.
Food insecurity, technically called Hunger Level 2 (see my October OpEd in The Daily Hampshire Gazette), often causes obesity instead of weight loss, because folks who do not have enough money to buy healthy fruits, vegetables, meats, and grains, fill up on cheap junk food. So it’s not surprising that food insecurity often leads to fatty liver, a side effect of obesity in both adults and children.
Food insecurity affects all ages. it even begins in the womb.
Studies show that pregnant women without enough healthy food are more likely to be anemic and hypertensive, and to have the post partum blues. Their babies are more likely to be abnormally small. As with many many other medical maladies, people of color are affected more than white oeople.
How about hungry kids?
Children who don’t get enough food are more likely to suffer a raft of maladies form anemia, asthma, hypertension, other chronic illness, and cavities. They are more likely to be anxious, depressed, and have trouble sleeping.
Kids with disabilities are more likely to suffer from food insecurity and suffer worse effects from the problem.
Adolescents who go hungry are often ashamed to ask for food assistance. And the consequences? Studies show these teens are more liley to get into fights in school, get suspended, get more STD’s, and suffer from more mental illness. Boys are more likely to deal in drugs, and girls more apt to trade sex for money— in an effort to get enough food to eat.
Finally, college kids are often living independently for the first time, on a budget, with expenses to juggle, and often go hungry: they buy cheaper sweet junk foods and go without nourishing fruits and vegetables. They tend to have more anxiety, depression, insomnia, and an increased frequency of eating disorders.
How about Adults?
You’ve probably heard about metabolic syndrome: It means increased waist lines, elevated blood pressure and cholesterol and decreased high density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good cholesterol”). Metabolic syndrome leads to a much higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Lack of affordable nutritious food is a major contributor to this deadly combo.
And hungry adults, like kids have increased levels of depression and anxiety.
The problem is worse for older adults. The elderly often lose some of their sense of taste, and especially if living alone, have less insentive to fix healthy meals. If good food is not readily available, they are more likely to suffer falls, which can lead to broken bones and even death. It turns out that the combination of visual impairment and food insecurity is especially deadly for seniors.
Jim Mcgovern and monte’s march
Representative Jim McGovern has been probably the leading voice in Congress for the availabilty for nutritious food in the United States—”the richest country in the history of the world,” as he likes to say. I am looking forward to seeing him tomorrow as I participate in the first of two days of Monte’s March— a two day, 43 mile walk, pushing shopping carts from Springfield to Greenfield, MA. This annual march, held every year on the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving, was begun by the colorful radio personality Monte Belmonte.
We have fun during the March. It’s a PBS/Sesame Street/ Mr. Rogers theme this year. Monte decide to dress as Elmo tomorrow and Mr. Rogers the next day. I’m going as Big Bird. I’m practicing a few Big Bird songs.
But the goal is serious. Last year we raised a half million dollars for the Food Bank of Western Mass; the goal this year is $650,000. And it is money much needed for the Food Bank to continue to distribute millions of meals to a hundred thousand plus families every years, much of it purchased from area farms.
Representative McGovern is also sponsoring bipartisan bills (imagine that in this bitterly divided Congress and country!) to improve school lunch programs and to deliver “medically tailored” meals to seniors, according to their special needs. This is part of a growing trend to view food as medicine.
In fact Food as Medicine programs, where boxes of healthy foods are regularly sent to families, combined with nutitional counseling, is a growing trend. And it works. Studies show Food as Medicine leads to more consumption of fruits and vegetables. It leads to improved infant birthweight and decreased prematurity. It leads to healthier weight and less diabetes. Which of course saves money in the long term on healthcare expenses. It’s a win-win-win!
If you don’t have enough money in the budget for healthy food, or have trouble getting SNAP, please go to your local soup kitchen or Food Bank if you need to. Under this Administration food prices, already at all time high prices, have risen further. More people than ever before don’t have enough money to cover all their expenses. There is no shame in asking for assistance.
If you are fortunate to be able to buy enough healthy food, please support your neighbors this Thanksgiving season! Donate to your local food bank, soup kitchens, survival centers, and food drives. If you have time, volunteer as well. If you live in the 413 area code, support Monte’s March.
And remember to eat heatlhy yourself: Food is Medicine!
This blog was adopted from my November 10 OpEd column in The Daily Hampshire Gazette, “A scary Halloween—Hunger, health, and the loss of SNAP benefits.”