NYHealth survey of food and health

NYHealth survey of food and health

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Contributor(s):
New York Health Foundation, issuing body.
Publication:
New York, NY : NY Health Foundation, August 2022
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Food Assistance
Food Insecurity
Health
Surveys and Questionnaires
New York
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
Across New York State, food insecurity--the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life--is prevalent, persistent, and costly. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, one in ten New Yorkers--nearly two million people--were food insecure. Public benefit programs provide a critical safety net for hungry New Yorkers. But with rising food and gas prices as well as overall inflation, getting and affording food has become even harder, meaning that rates of food insecurity are likely to be even higher now. Food insecurity jeopardizes health. Evidence proves that individuals with uncertain access to food have lower diet quality, higher rates of diet-related disease, and higher health care costs. A 2019 study estimated that in New York State, the annual health care costs associated with food insecurity top $3.4 billion, or approximately $173 per person. Until now, surveys of food-insecure New Yorkers have focused on estimating the number of residents who have inconsistent or precarious access to food. This survey dives deep into the lived experiences of New Yorkers who are food insecure and contrasts them with the food-secure population. The ensuing report details the results of a 1,507-person state-wide survey. It describes the connections between food and New Yorkers’ health, the multiple reasons why obtaining and preparing food can be difficult, and the perilous tradeoffs that individuals make to put meals on the table. It captures New Yorkers’ experiences with safety net programs and their opinions about public policy actions; it also recommends steps to improve food security and health going forward.
Copyright:
Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
Extent:
1 online resource (1 PDF file (29 pages))
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
9918540685506676 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918540685506676