Food insecurity has broad effects on health due to the mental and physical stress it places on the body.  

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study found that food insecure adults had annual health care expenditures $1,834 higher than food secure adults.  

The issue of food insecurity is intricate and is intertwined with other challenges faced by low-income families. Many food-insecure families also struggle with issues resulting from structural biases, lack of affordable housing, high medical costs, and low wages.

Black and Hispanic households are hit hardest, experiencing food insecurity at a rate twice that of white households.

Households with children, particularly those with kids ages 0-5, and households headed by single women also experience food insecurity at a higher rate than those without children and with multiple adults.

Factors contributing to food insecurity and inconsistent access to food can include lack of grocery stores in the part of town (or nearby) in which you live, lack of transportation, and lack of financial resources.

Individuals living in food insecure homes can have anxiety about food as eating patterns can be irregular due to inconsistent access to food.

When women are pregnant, food insecurity can cause a myriad of health problems from iron deficiency to gestational diabetes and low birthweight.