LEC 1: Household Food Security and Pregnancy

Question 1

Food Security

Answer 1

When all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their diatery needs and food preferences fro an active and healthy life.

Question 2

Food Insecurity

Answer 2

Limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.

Question 3

Sequence of Severity

Answer 3

1. Begins with worrying about not having enough money to buy food, to compromising on quality, and then to compromising on quantity
2. Food shortage, unsuitability of food, monotony, lack of freshness, a preoccupation which having access to enough food, a feeling of lack of control over the situation, and a need to hid that lack of contril

Question 4

Prevalence for Food Security

Answer 4

• 12% experienced food insecurity in 2011
• 450,000 more households experienced food insecurity in Candad in 2001 than in 2008
• Higherst prevalence in NOrth and in the Maritimes
• Rates in SK, NB, NS, AB, QC highest observed to date (sig drop in NDLD/LB)
• 16% of households iwth children experienced food insecurity versus 11% in households without children
• 17% of all children experience food insecurity (1.1 million)
• Over-represented groups: single-parent families, families with children, Aboriginal households, people receiving social assistance/EI/WC benefits, renting vs owning home

Question 5

Food Bank Usage

Answer 5

• 882,188 individuals in Canada receive food from a food bank in an average month.
• 93,000 people (11%) received help from a food bank for the first time.
• 49% of households assisted are families with children (almost half 2-parent families)
• 31% above levels experienced before the 2008-2009 recession, 2.4% higher than 2011
• Each month, Canadian food banks provide about five days’ worth of food to a population equal to the province of New Brunswick, the city of Ottawa, or the city of Edmonton.
• While children and youth represent 21% of the Canadian population, 38% of those helped by food banks are in this age group.

Question 6

Food Insecurity and Health

Answer 6

• Associated with poorere reported health
• Overweight and obesity
• Associated with poorere metnal health
• Negative academic and psychosocial outcomes in children
• Poor nutritional intakes in a variety of populations
• Linked to biochemical or clinical measures of nutritional status

Question 7

Nutritional Cost

Answer 7

• Decreased vegtable and fruit
• Decreased dairy
• Decreased fiber
• Increased energy density

Question 8

What does this mean for pregnant women?

Answer 8

• First and foremost do not assume your patients have the financial means to eat a healthy diet
• Ask your patients if they can afford and can access the foods you are recommending they eat (especially vegetables and fruit and dairy)
• Put together a list of resources your patient can access for help