Effects of Food Insecurity and Food CrisesThe world’s unstable food marketplace and high rates of poverty and inequality have led to nearly a billion people living on the brink of starvation. Chronic hunger has many devastating effects, both on an individual and community level. Food deserts lead to outrageous prices for basics like fruits and vegetables and grains. Globally, more and more of the average budget is going to groceries, but in areas experiencing chronic food insecurity or food crises, these expenses are even more extreme. Growing demand and decreasing supply is expected to trigger up to a 25% increase in food costs by 2018. [1]
Lack of access to nutritional and affordable food can lead to physical and mental health effects. Malnutrition amplifies the complications of every disease, and increases risk of infection or death from preventable conditions. Lack of access to food can also cause individuals to delay or avoid medical treatment, because if one cannot afford food, then medicine is also seen as completely out of reach. Also, many medications cause side effects like nausea or hunger, which is a frightening idea for someone who can already not afford to get enough to eat. In women, risky sexual behavior is often a symptom of hunger. Sex in exchange for baby formula, food, shelter, or medical care, is a sadly common practice all around the world, not just in developing nations. In children, inadequate nutrition puts them at risk for increased occurrence of illness and weakens their immune system. The under-developed immune systems of children ages 0 – 5, make them especially vulnerable to nutritional deprivation and as a result, the ability to learn, grow, and fight infections is adversely affected.[2]
Hunger is a huge contributing factor in war and civil conflict. In 2008, several governments fell after massive citizen protests over lack of access. When faced with starvation or fighting for food security, the choice, without fail, is to fight. The map[3] below shows the global unrest that resulted after the 2008 food crisis.  |
