Island Health Key Findings

ISLAND Household HEALTH FOOD INSECURITY BRITISH COLUMBIA in 2011-2012 INTRODUCTION Household food insecurity is when a household worries about or lacks the financial means to buy healthy, safe, personally acceptable food. Evidence shows that food insecure families struggle to afford a healthy diet and experience greater health and social challenges compared to people who are food secure. ISLAND HEALTH KEY FINDINGS RATES OF FOOD INSECURITY 13% of households in 12% Island Health NORTH VANCOUVER experience food ISLAND Courtenay insecurity SOUTH VANCOUVER Nanaimo ISLAND CENTRAL 14% VANCOUVER ISLAND Victoria 13% ISLAND HEALTH KEY FINDINGS LEVELS OF FOOD INSECURITY BRITISH COLUMBIA ISLAND HEALTH MARGINALLY FOOD INSECURE: Worry about running out of food and/or limit food selection 4% MARGINAL 3% because of lack of money for food. MODERATELY FOOD INSECURE: Compromise in quality and/or quantity of food due to a lack of 5% MODERATE 6% money for food. SEVERELY FOOD INSECURE: Miss meals, reduce food intake and at most extreme go day(s) with- SEVERE 4% 3% out food due to a lack of money for food. SOCIAL ASSISTANCE & FOOD INSECURITY Food Insecure 82% Food Secure of households on social assistance in Island Health experience food insecurity BC AVERAGE: 76% FOOD INSECURITY in HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN vs. WITHOUT CHILDREN BC AVERAGE: 15% 21% BC AVERAGE: 11% 11% WITH CHILDREN WITHOUT CHILDREN ARE FOOD INSECURE ARE FOOD INSECURE BRITISH COLUMBIA KEY FINDINGS CHARACTERISTICS OF FOOD INSECURE HOUSEHOLDS 1in10 HOUSEHOLDS (12%) 1in6 CHILDREN experience food insecurity live in food insecure households OF ALL FOOD INSECURE HOUSEHOLDS IN BC: The majority are employed The majority are single people 65% 43% EMPLOYED SINGLE PEOPLE 22% 15 % COUPLES SOCIAL WITHOUT KIDS ASSISTANCE 34% 20% 1% PEOPLE WITH OTHER OTHER KIDS (0-18+) HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION & RATES OF FOOD INSECURITY rates of food insecurity 34% are more than 5X higher for single mothers with kids compared to couples without kids. 6% 11% couples with no kids couples with kids single mothers with (under 18) kids (under 18) BRITISH COLUMBIA KEY FINDINGS HEALTH & FOOD INSECURITY FOOD INSECURE FOOD SECURE POSITIVE 43% GENERAL HEALTH 62% POSITIVE 55% MENTAL HEALTH 69% RATE OF 20% OBESITY 14% RATE OF MOOD/ANXIETY 24% DISORDER 9% DATA SOURCES & METHODS CONCLUSION The Population and Public Health program collaborated with PROOF1 Food insecurity is a public health issue that at the University of Toronto to influences physical and mental health assess the prevalence of household across the lifespan. A recent study shows food insecurity in BC. The findings that people who are food insecure use presented here summarize data up to 121% more healthcare dollars from the full report, Priority Health compared to those who are food secure, Indicators for BC: Household food demonstrating that reducing food insecurity report. Findings are insecurity could offset considerable based on data collected through the public expenditures in healthcare. Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) in 2011-12.2 The root cause of household food insecurity is lack of income. Policy interventions at the provincial or federal level that address 1 PROOF is an interdisciplinary research team in Canada exploring policy options to address household food insecurity. household income can make a significant 2 Data from 2011-12 represents the most recent data available for the province as BC did not participate in the optional food insecurity difference to improve food insecurity. module during the 2013-14 CCHS cycle. For more information, including a provincial infographic and the full report, visit www.phsa.ca/populationhealth Provincial Health Services Authority. (2016). Island Health: Household food insecurity in 2011-2012. Vancouver, BC: PHSA Population & Public Health Program..

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