Sustainable solutions to the intractable problems of food insecurity

可持续解决粮食不安全这一棘手问题

• 批准号: 2600504
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Liverpool
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2021 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2600504
• 关键词: Sustainable; solutions; intractable; problems; food

Food insecurity is conceptualised as a lack of physical, social or financial means to obtain safe and nutritious food in adequate quantities to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. It is highly intertwined with the wider determinants of health, including social, cultural, and political factors. Food insecurity has increased dramatically in the UK as a result of recent welfare reforms driven by austerity, which have intensified the economic pressure felt by disadvantaged groups. COVID-19 has further impacted many individuals and families financially due to sudden unemployment and loss of income due to illness. Social factors including housing and unemployment, and environmental factors such as the presence of food deserts and swamps within communities also play a role in the disproportionate development of food insecurity within the most disadvantaged populations. The effect of food insecurity is wide-ranging and severe. Paradoxically, the prevalence of hunger and micronutrient deficiencies has increased in the UK, alongside increases in over-nutrition and non-communicable diseases such as obesity in lower socio-economic groups. This has been directly related to the consumption of cheap, energy dense yet nutrient poor diets in this population. Additionally, food insecurity also impacts mental health, being linked to increases in anxiety and depression. Food insecurity is a worryingly and seemingly intractable problem in the UK and despite receiving much recent media attention during the pandemic, lack of effective policies and government dedication is concerning. This has led to reliance on celebrities to raise awareness of the gravity of the issue and lobby for change. Similarly, with levels of food insecurity ever-increasing, the charitable sector is relied upon to bridge the gap. However, traditional food aid can provide only short-term, emergency relief, relying heavily on the generosity of others. Increasing reliance on food aid in response to the food insecurity crisis is not only unsustainable for charities, but the food distributed through food aid services is often nutritionally inadequate. Food banks have a limited capacity to provide fresh and healthy foods to meet dietary guidelines and consequently, those receiving food aid find themselves forced into consuming non-perishable, ultra-processed foods which may, in reality, be contributing towards widening health inequalities. Changes that allow the welfare system and food environment to be conducive to reducing health inequalities are required to address the root causes of food insecurity. Alternatives to traditional food aid are urgently required in order to secure the provision of good food for all. Working in collaboration with the local social enterprise Can Cook, this research aims to recommend an economically sustainable, scalable and community-centred response to food insecurity. The development of such a response will be informed by an evaluation of the limitations of traditional food aid, including the eradication of food choice and negative consequences to mental and physical health and wellbeing of those in receipt of support. The attitudes and experiences of food insecure individuals will be considered in order to inform an optimum process to support local food security both at the household and community level, and promote an effective, relevant and sustainable social enterprise response.

粮食不安全被概念化为缺乏身体，社会或经济上的手段，以获取足够数量的安全和营养食品以促进健康和积极的生活方式。它与更广泛的健康决定因素（包括社会，文化和政治因素）高度交织在一起。由于紧缩驱动的最近的福利改革，英国的粮食不安全感急剧增加，这加剧了弱势群体所感受到的经济压力。 Covid-19由于突然失业和疾病造成的收入损失，进一步影响了许多个人和家庭。社会因素在内，包括住房和失业，以及社区内食品沙漠和沼泽等环境因素也在最弱势群体中粮食不安全的发展中发挥作用。粮食不安全的影响是广泛且严重的。矛盾的是，英国的饥饿和微量营养素缺陷的患病率增加了，同时较低的社会经济群体中的过度营养和非传染性疾病（例如肥胖症）的增加。这与该人群中廉价，能量密集但营养不良的饮食的消费直接相关。此外，粮食不安全感也会影响心理健康，与焦虑和抑郁症的增加有关。在英国，粮食不安全是一个令人担忧且看似棘手的问题，尽管在大流行期间受到了最近的媒体关注，但缺乏有效的政策和政府的奉献精神。这导致依赖名人提高人们对问题的重力的认识，并大厅进行变革。同样，随着粮食不安全的水平，慈善部门依靠弥合差距。但是，传统的粮食援助只能提供短期的紧急救济，严重依赖他人的慷慨。响应粮食不安全危机的粮食援助的依赖不仅是不可持续的，而且通过粮食援助服务分配的粮食通常是营养不足的。食品银行提供新鲜健康食品以满足饮食指南的能力有限，因此，那些接受粮食援助的人发现自己被迫食用不可腐烂的超级加工食品，实际上，这些食物实际上可能有助于扩大健康不平等。允许福利系统和食品环境有利于减少健康不平等的变化以解决粮食不安全的根本原因。为了确保所有人提供美食的替代品，迫切需要提供传统粮食援助。该研究旨在与当地的社会企业合作，可以为粮食不安全感提供经济可持续性，可扩展性和以社区为中心的反应。通过评估传统粮食援助的局限性，包括消除食物的选择以及对精神和身体健康的负面影响以及获得支持的人的福祉的负面后果，可以为这种反应的发展提供信息。将考虑粮食不安全个人的态度和经验，以告知最佳过程，以支持家庭和社区层面的当地粮食安全，并促进有效，相关和可持续的社会企业响应。