With the COVID-19 pandemic, many are starting to worry about the future and their ability to feed themselves and their families. Despite food insecurity usually being something associated with developing countries, soaring unemployment rates have brought this issue closer to reality for people in higher-income nations. Food insecurity is both alarming and incredibly destructive – but what does it look like in practice? What can you do if you find yourself worrying about food security? In this blog post, Darren Dohme discusses rising food insecurity trends and discuss why it has become an important topic of discussion, as well as how individuals can protect themselves against potential shortages.
Rising Food Insecurity: Should You Be Worried? Darren Dohme Answers
Rising food insecurity should be a growing concern for everyone, says Darren Dohme. According to the World Hunger Education Service, more than 800 million people in the world suffer from hunger and lack access to enough food, with data indicating that this number is rising year after year. From 2017 to 2020 alone, an additional 83 million people have been added to this group – a sign of rapidly rising levels of food insecurity.
But what does it mean to be “food insecure”? Food insecurity occurs when a person lacks reliable access to sufficient amounts of affordable, nutritious food. It can happen for many reasons, including poverty resulting from job loss due to economic downturns or other hardships such as disability or illness. It can also result from agricultural failures caused by droughts or floods, political instability, and conflict.
The consequences of food insecurity are wide-reaching, affecting physical health as well as mental well-being. It can lead to malnutrition and its associated symptoms, such as stunted growth and development, weakened immunity to disease, organ damage, and anemia. People who suffer from food insecurity may also be more prone to depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses due to the added stress caused by financial hardship.
According to Darren Dohme, the data surrounding global hunger is alarming, but there are many ways you can help if you’re worried about rising levels of food insecurity in your community or beyond. By donating money or volunteering time at a local charity that works towards providing meals for those in need, you can help make a difference and ensure that everyone has access to healthy, nutritious meals.
For instance, a charity like the Food Bank for New York City distributes 90-100 million free meals yearly to its 1.5 million clients across the five boroughs. Thanks to the support of generous donors and volunteers, this organization continues to provide food assistance while also educating people on nutrition and hunger awareness issues. By donating or volunteering with an organization like this, you can help make a difference in fighting rising levels of food insecurity worldwide.
Darren Dohme’s Concluding Thoughts
The reality, as per Darren Dohme, is that rising levels of food insecurity are cause for concern, and it’s important we take action now before this issue grows further out of control. According to Feeding America, an estimated 37 million Americans—including 11 million children—are currently food insecure, while the United Nations World Food Programme estimates that 270 million people could be facing acute food insecurity by the end of 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. These numbers demonstrate how urgent and pressing this issue is, and we must all work together to ensure everyone has access to healthy, nutritious meals.