Food Insecurity is a Mental Health Issue

By Rosa Hernandez, Communications and Engagement Manager, Waste Not

I grew up food insecure. Most of the time I didn’t know from week to week if I was going to have enough to eat.

After two decades of being food insecure and becoming an advocate for better mental health, specifically around anxiety, I realized we’re missing something from the mental health conversation.

Food insecurity.

What is Food Insecurity?

Food insecurity is often seen as just a food problem - the lack of access to food in a person’s life, or only a problem the unhoused have.

But food insecurity is a complex issue. It is a lack of access to food – good, nutritious food — due to social, political, and economic systems that are broken. It’s also an issue that creates long-term repercussions on our society as a whole because of the consequences it has not only on our physical well-being, but on our mental health as well . And if we’re a society of physically unwell and mentally unwell people, we don’t have much chance for a progressive future.

How does Food Insecurity Cause Psychological Distress?

?Those living with food insecurity have a higher risk of anxiety (257% risk) and depression (253% risk), according to BMC Public Health.

Being hungry is hard. Not knowing where your next meal is coming from or if your kids are getting the right nutrients to develop well, is scary. It can be a lot of late nights worrying, very real hunger pains, and lead to other problems like low energy, a lack of sleep, and the inability to focus.

And while a hot meal or food box is 100% welcomed, these solutions only temporarily relieve some of those hunger pains. The weight of continuous uncertainty and the reliance on others for help can be taxing on the mind way beyond the moment of today.

What Can We Do to Prevent This?

Besides having a society where inflation is a myth, and equal pay is a given…

One, programs like SNAP need to be stabilized within our government so people don’t have to worry that something as crucial as this will be taken away or rendered ineffective due to inflation.

Two, the support of shelters and food banks are a must. So many individuals depend on organizations like The Society of St. Vincent de Paul - Phoenix that serves 5200 meals a day or United Food Bank that provides thirty thousand food bags a month. Shelters and food banks are not just handing out food, they’re handing out kindness and hopes - moments and gestures that are imprinted on some of the most vulnerable and isolated in our community.

Three, food rescues like Waste Not are innovative in the way they fight hunger. Waste Not is a critical resource to the community. With a network of over 85 nonprofits, they’re not just dropping off food, they’re creating a reliable and sustainable food system people can count on.?

Last, but certainly not least, we need to look at the bigger picture. If we only look at the immediate need for food in food insecurity and we miss addressing the improvement of mental health with it, we’ll never have real change. The investment in free and low-cost mental health services is critical to our future as a people.

What’s the Bottom Line?

Food insecurity is more than just being hungry. It leaves a long-lasting impression and can be a direct cause of anxiety and depression.

There are nearly one million Arizonans struggling with food insecurity. Just like I was. But until we start to recognize food insecurity as a mental health issue, we are stunting our ability to flourish as a society.