Scaling up measurement to confront food insecurity in the USA

Abstract

It is necessary to scale up measurement in order to confront the persisting problem of food insecurity in the United States (USA). The causes and consequences around food insecurity are briefly described in order to frame the complexity of the public health issue and demonstrate need for expanded measurement approaches. We assert that measurement of food security in the USA is currently based upon a core set of rigorous metrics and, moving forward, should also constitute a supplemental registry of measures to monitor and address variables that are associated with increased risk for food insecurity. Next, we depict dietary quality as a primary example of the power of measurement to make significant progress in our understanding and management of food insecurity. Finally, we discuss the translational implications in behavioral medicine required to make progress on achieving food security for all in the USA.

Keywords: Federal food assistance; Food security; Nutrition assistance; Policy; environment change; systems.