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Food Insecurity in Canada

Considerations for Monitoring

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Abstract

Food insecurity, which has been recognized as an important determinant of health, is estimated to have affected almost one in ten Canadian households in 2004. Analyses of indicators of household food insecurity on several recent population health surveys have shed light on markers of vulnerability and the public health implications of this problem. However, the lack of detailed information on the economic circumstances of households and inconsistent measurement across surveys thwart attempts to develop a deeper understanding of problems of food insecurity. To better inform the development and evaluation of policies to address food insecurity among Canadian households, more effective monitoring is needed. This requires the consistent administration of a well-validated measure of food security on a population survey that routinely collects detailed information on the economic circumstances of households. Health professionals can contribute to the amelioration of problems of food insecurity in Canada by advocating for improved monitoring of the problem at a population level.

Résumé

L’insécurité alimentaire, que l’on sait être un important déterminant de la santé, aurait touché près d’un ménage canadien sur 10 en 2004. Des analyses portant sur les indicateurs de l’insécurité alimentaire des ménages dans plusieurs enquêtes récentes sur la santé de la population ont jeté un nouvel éclairage sur les indicateurs de vulnérabilité et les conséquences de l’insécurité alimentaire sur le plan de la santé publique. Toutefois, le manque de données précises sur la situation économique des ménages, ainsi que les différentes mesures utilisées d’une enquête à l’autre, nuisent à une connaissance plus approfondie du problème. Pour étayer l’élaboration et l’évaluation des politiques de lutte contre l’insécurité alimentaire dans les ménages canadiens, il faut en faire un suivi plus efficace, ce qui exige l’application uniforme d’une mesure éprouvée de la sécurité alimentaire dans le cadre d’une enquête démographique recueillant systématiquement des données précises sur la situation économique des ménages. Les professionnels de la santé peuvent contribuer à résoudre le problème de l’insécurité alimentaire au Canada en préconisant un meilleur suivi dans la population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, FitzGerald Building, Room 326, 150 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E2, Canada

    Sharon I. Kirkpatrick PhD, RD & Valerie Tarasuk PhD

Authors
  1. Sharon I. Kirkpatrick PhD, RD
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  2. Valerie Tarasuk PhD
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Correspondence to Sharon I. Kirkpatrick PhD, RD.

Additional information

Acknowledgements: During her doctoral studies, Sharon Kirkpatrick received financial support from an Ontario Graduate Scholarship and a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Doctoral Scholarship.

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Kirkpatrick, S.I., Tarasuk, V. Food Insecurity in Canada. Can J Public Health 99, 324–327 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403765

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403765

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