EXPERIENCES OF CHILDHOOD FOOD INSECURITY
Sue King and John Bellamy
What is food insecurity?
Food insecurity is the ‘limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways’
(Life Sciences Research Office, 1996:6)
Measured among individuals using the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM)
National study of ER service users
• Study conducted in 2012• 15 Anglicare agencies across
Australia• 590 Emergency Relief
service users interviewed• 9 questions about adults’
experience of food insecurity• 7 questions about children in
the household
Questions asked of ER service users• Perceptions about the adequacy of the
household food budget or food supply• Perceptions about the adequacy and quality of
the food eaten by adults and children• Reported instances of reduced food intake, or
consequences of reduced intake, among adults• Reported instances of reduced food intake or its
consequences among children
Food insecurity among adult ER service users
• The overwhelming majority of ER service users
(96%) experienced some form of food insecurity
• Three out of four of respondents (76%) were
severely food insecure
• Almost one third (31%) were severely food
insecure almost every week
Food insecurity among the childrenof ER service users
Children were fed only low-cost food
Children did not get a variety of food
Couldn't afford more food for the children
Children's meals were cut in size
Children hungry but couldn't afford food
Children skipped meals
Children did not eat for a whole day
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
83%
78%
52%
46%
39%
24%
10%
Proportion of households where at least once in last 3 months:
Frequency of food insecurity among children (3 month period)
Almost
every week
Some weeks but not every
week
Only 1 or 2
weeks Never Total
Children were fed only low-cost food 33% 39% 12% 17% 100%
Children did not get a variety of food 23% 42% 13% 22% 100%
Couldn't afford more food for the children 12% 26% 14% 48% 100%
Children's meals were cut in size 11% 21% 14% 54% 100%
Children hungry but couldn’t afford food 9% 19% 11% 61% 100%
Children skipped meals 4% 11% 8% 76% 100%
Children did not eat for a whole day 2% 5% 3% 90% 100%
Food insecurity among the childrenof ER service users
Food insecurity among the children of ER service users
• The majority of households make
compromises on the quality of food
provided for their children• Children do not have enough to eat in
half of households• Children are skipping meals in a quarter
of households • Children are going without food for a
whole day in 10% of households• A third of children are severely food
insecure
Impacts on ER service user households
Stress and anxiety
“You stress over things ‘cos you don’t know where the next feed’s coming from.”
Social isolation
“Very withdrawn and I don’t go out. Don’t want to let people know.”
Anger and family conflict
“We get angry and argue if we don’t eat.”
Feeling of being depressed and low self esteem
“It makes me want to burst into tears. It’s very hard.”
“To see an empty fridge is depressing. It is a constant reminder of the situation.”
Impacts on ER service user households
Feelings of shame and embarrassment
“It makes me feel degraded as a human being and we don’t entertain anymore.”
Poor functioning
“Affects mentally and can’t function if hungry”
Compromised health
“Just drinking tea and water...vomiting...get weak”
Providing for children
“I think’ How an I gonna feed my kids?’”
Impacts on children Behavioural issues
“Kids get cranky and irritable.”
Lack of social connections
“Anything [I do] with the kids has to be free and within walking distance of the home.”
Impaired school attendance and performance
“It affects everything. The school wants to know why the kids are hungry.”
Child’s view of the world
“Kids see others have more and judge home.”
Putting children first“Sometimes I go without to ensure my child has food.”
“The last thing I want is for my children to go without food.”
“I know a lot of people that go without to feed their children.”
“I’ve tried to cut down on food portions to let children have enough and not go to bed hungry. I try to give them meat with five veg and go without myself.”
“I buy a little bit of food every day so I know the baby has something to eat that day.”
“I ensure my son always has the basics of bread, spreads, milk, yoghurt and fruit, in addition to cereal and eggs to ensure basic needs are covered... he never goes without, even if I do.”
Possible Policy Solutions
A National Food plan Locally-based food initiatives Increased emergency relief food
services Case management through
emergency relief services Addressing income adequacy Increased Commonwealth
Rental Assistance
Conclusion• In households that attend Anglicare Emergency
Relief centres there are children going without
food – some on a fairly regular basis.
• Food insecurity impacts on adult wellbeing which
has an impact on the whole household.
• For children this can lead to family conflict,
behavioural issues, social disconnection, and
poorer school performance.
• Adults appear to protect their children
from food insecurity but sometimes
there is just not enough food.