Despite the rhetoric of politicians, there is now a larger gap between the World’s rich and poor than there has ever existed previously. While food insecurity might be expected in the poorest countries, it is now also becoming common for people living in Western nations to have rely on food banks and handouts in order to feed themselves. The United States in in the grips of a depression, and as wealth is transferred away from the working and middle classes towards the ultra rich, problems with health are a predictable outcome. It is estimated for example, that 1 in 7 households in the United States suffer from some form of food insecurity. This figure is likely much higher if you take into account that many households will rely on cheap low quality foods, and access to higher quality foods that could substantially improve health are economically out of reach. While the physical aspects that might manifest during food insecurity are an obvious concern, the mental aspects are perhaps more worrying.
Recently an association was observed between those in receipt of food aid and depression1. That this study was conducted in the United States highlights the absurdity of the current economic and social policies that are dictated by the mainly bureaucratic and despised governments. An interesting aspect of this study was that not only were participants in the Low-Income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) included, but also subjects that were eligible for the assistance but did not receive it. Therefore the association was shown to be with the food insecurity, rather than actual participation in a government programme (which could be argued to depress anyone). The overall rate of depression was 9.3 % amongst the food insecure, with a rate of 6.7 % amongst participants on the programme and a rate of 12.8 % for those not on the programme. Food insecurity therefore appears to be associated with depression in Western nations. No doubt the solution will be more medication with antidepressants (sigh).
RdB
