HSN 705 Module 3: Food Insecurity and Disadvantaged Groups

This report addresses the critical issue of food insecurity, exploring its causes, prevalence, and the populations most affected, as outlined in the HSN 705 Public Health Nutrition module. It highlights the significant impact of economic disparities, affordability, and access on nutritional quality, with a focus on the consequences of food insecurity, including poverty and underdevelopment. The report emphasizes the need for governmental action and inclusive food security approaches, including improvements in food systems, emergency food stocks, and cohesive research across multiple departments. Furthermore, the report references the right to food, government policies, and a case study of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities, offering a comprehensive understanding of the issue and potential solutions. This document, available on Desklib, provides a detailed analysis of food insecurity, its impact, and potential solutions.

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Access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food is the issue discussed in the paper. The
growing and widening economic disparities within the country have served as the major
impetus behind posing a serious threat of hunger and malnutrition. People of the same
country are not eating the same food, at least the same in nutrients and quality. As the
analysis is made down the poverty line, horrific results are deduced. This disparity in the
quality of food eaten by different people is due to a number of factors [1]. These factors
include affordability, access and will to purchase. Economic distress bars people from buying
quality food as it is always expensive. No availability of food leaves no other option for the
people but either to go without it or choose an alternative of lower quality. Lastly,
unawareness regarding the nutrient content of the food serves as another major factor that
hinders path of eating well.
Food insecurity has emerged as one of the most appalling and devastating issues of
modern times. A wide range of issues emerges out of this single problem. The perpetual state
of chaos, unease, poverty and under-development in the countries can be closely linked to the
widespread issue of food security prevalent there [2]. No country can progress until and
unless it is immune to food insecurity. A handful of reasons can be attributed to such a
widespread prevalence of food insecurity. These reasons include economic stratification,
unskilled labour, unemployment and living in remote and far-fetched areas.
These problems are not so rigid that these cannot be addressed. If there exists a
governmental pledge, these issues can be solved effectively. In this regard, as the article says
that government policies have been insignificant in the past [3]. But if the resolve is made
and appropriate initiative is taken the monster of food insecurity can be wiped out from
within the borders of the country. Some important steps that might be taken in this regard
include both on the local level as well as on the national level include improvement of food
systems and availability of an emergency food stock. Not only this but also a cohesive

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research needs be made on the national level which takes into confidence all the departments
that are interlinked with food security. These fields include agricultural, nutritional and
environmental studies [4]. In short, it is high time that an inclusive food security approach
must be taken by the government to secure the future of the generation and to make better its
present as well.

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References
1. Smith, K, Lawrence, G. Flooding and food security: A case study of community
resilience in Rockhampton. Rural Society; 2014, Vol. 23: pp. 216-228.
2. Burns, CM., Inglis, AD. Measuring food access in Melbourne: access to healthy and
fast foods by car, bus and foot in an urban municipality in Melbourne. Health and
Place; 2007: Vol. 13(4), pp. 877–885.
3. Lindberg R, Morgan R, Kleve S, Galvin L. The right to eat well, no matter where you
live [Internet]. 1st ed. Australia: Right to Food Coalition; 2016 [cited 13 April 2019].
Available from: https://righttofoodcoalition.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/rtf-
final_food-access-in-aus_18-april-2016.pdf
4. Thomas Astell-Burt, Xiaoqi Feng Geographic inequity in a healthy food environment
and type 2 diabetes: can we please turn off the tap? Medical Journal of Australia; 21
September 2015.