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FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY




WHAT IS NUTRITION SECURITY?

Nutrition security means all Americans have consistent and equitable access to
healthy, safe, affordable foods essential to optimal health and well-being. Our
approach to tackling food and nutrition insecurity aims to:

 1. Recognize all Americans are not maintaining an active, healthy life that is
    consistent with Federal recommendations; and
 2. Emphasize taking an equity lens to our efforts.

Learn more

A household is food secure if all members, at all times, can access enough food
for an active, healthy life. At a minimum, food security includes:

 * Readily available nutritionally adequate and safe foods, and
 * The ability to acquire those foods in socially acceptable ways (without
   resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging, stealing, or other coping
   strategies).

Nutrition security is consistent access, availability, and affordability of
foods and beverages that promote well-being, prevent disease, and, if needed,
treat disease, particularly among racial/ethnic minority, lower income, and
rural and remote populations including Tribal communities and Insular areas.
Nutrition security is an emerging concept that complements efforts to increase
food security while also:

 * Recognizing that Americans, in general, fall short of an active, healthy
   lifestyle aligned with Federal dietary and physical activity guidelines, and
 * Emphasizing equity to ensure our efforts serve all populations to promote
   access, availability, and affordability to foods and beverages, and address
   the connection between food insecurity and diet-related chronic diseases.

View the Infographic (PDF, 420 KB)





WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

Poor nutrition is a leading cause of illness in the United States, associated
with more than half a million deaths per year. It is linked with increased risk
of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease as well as broader impacts including
higher health care costs and decreased productivity.

Learn more


POOR NUTRITION IS WIDESPREAD

Though poor nutrition affects every demographic, diet-related diseases hit
harder among historically underserved communities.

The overall diet quality score for Americans is 59 out of 100, indicating that
the average American diet does not align with Federal dietary recommendations.
However, the resulting health burden is not equally shared. Certain populations
are at greater risk for diet-related disease. For example, Black and Indigenous
children are more likely to have obesity than their white peers. Those who face
food insecurity are also at greater risk.

Beyond the effect on health, poor nutrition and diet-related diseases have
far-reaching impacts including decreased academic achievement and increased
financial stress(link is external). That translates to societal impacts as
well—lower productivity, weakened military readiness, widening health
disparities, and skyrocketing health care costs(link is external). For example,
approximately 85 percent of current health care spending is related to
management of diet-related chronic disease(link is external).

To make progress on these problems, Americans need equitable access to healthy
foods that promote well-being.

 


WHAT IS USDA DOING?

USDA wants input from all Americans on ways we can improve nutrition security.
The department is particularly focused on strengthening and building new
partnerships with all levels of government, the private sector, community-based
organizations, and families. Together, we can make progress that will change
lives and ensure a healthier, more prosperous future for all Americans.

Learn more


USDA’S WORK TO ADVANCE NUTRITION SECURITY FOCUSES ON FOUR PILLARS:
 

Meaningful Support

 



Healthy Food

 

Collaborative Action

 



Equitable Systems


RESEARCH AND EVALUATION

USDA’s work on nutrition security is driven by research and grounded in science.
In addition to the extensive research performed by the Food and Nutrition
Service, the Agricultural Research Service has six human nutrition research
centers, the Economic Research Service studies numerous topics central to food
and nutrition security, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture
advances food and nutrition security through research, education, extension, and
innovation. Our work is also driven by the lived experiences – of our staff and
our stakeholders.

Learn more about our nutrition security research.

Read the Role of FNS Report (PDF, 10.0 MB)



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the Actions on Nutrition Security (PDF, 792 KB)Read USDA Blogs on Nutrition
Security

Browse all food and nutrition topics  

 

 

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