When talking about eating “healthier”, one of the most important things to consider is access to foods that would allow you to eat more well-rounded, balanced meals. Food access and food security as a whole are rising concerns in the United States. According to Feeding America, food insecurity is defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. Many factors can impact one’s ability to gain access to nutritious foods, such as:
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Poverty and/or other financial concerns
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Transportation issues
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Proximity of grocery stores and/or types of stores that offer food
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Housing, having no safe place to store, prepare, or cook nutritious foods
It is estimated that over 38 million people are currently living in food-insecure households, with over 5 million older Americans specifically living with food insecurity. Studies have shown inconsistent access to nutritious foods can have detrimental effects on our health, such as a higher incidence of congestive heart failure, obesity, depression, and anxiety. The good news is that there are both federal and local food assistance programs out there that can help someone gain access to nutritious foods a bit easier. If you are struggling to have consistent access to nutritious foods, ask your care coordinator about available resources out there. To help you get started, here are some of the more common federal programs available:
One thing to note with federally-based programs (and often many local programs) is that they often have eligibility requirements, such as income and age guidelines. Some, especially those that are federal-based, may have a waiting period for processing applications. That’s where exploring local resources may be beneficial in getting you the resources you need faster.