Food Insecurity

Food Insecurity Overview

Food insecurity — the limited or uncertain access to enough food — is a critical child health issue that impacts millions of infants, children, youth, and families in all communities across the U.S. Children of all ages who live in households with food insecurity, even at the least severe levels of food insecurity, are likely to be sick more often, recover from illness more slowly, and be hospitalized more frequently. Unfortunately, 1 in 7 U.S. children lives in a household struggling against food insecurity. Pediatricians can play a critical role in addressing food insecurity, a health-related unmet social need with harmful impacts on child health, development, and well-being.

AAP Recommendations

In a policy statement, Promoting Food Security for All Children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that pediatricians :

• Screen and identify children at risk for food insecurity;
• Connect families to needed community resources; and
• Advocate with other key partners and stakeholders for federal, state, and local policies that support access to adequate and healthy food so that all children and their families can be nourished, active, and healthy