terms to understand
Hunger: should refer to a potential consequence of food insecurity that, because of
prolonged, involuntary lack of food, results in discomfort, illness, weakness,
or pain that goes beyond the usual uneasy sensation.
Levels of Food Security & Insecurity:
Food Desert: parts of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole
foods, usually found in impoverished areas. This is largely due to a lack of
grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and healthy food providers.
WIC: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
provides Federal grants to States for supplemental foods, health care referrals,
and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and
non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five
who are found to be at nutritional risk.
Food Stamps: government-issued coupon that is sold or given to low-income persons and is redeemable for food.
Malnourished: a medical condition caused by an improper or insufficient diet. It most often refers to undernutrition resulting from inadequate consumption, poor absorption, or excessive loss of
nutrients, but the term can also encompass overnutrition, resulting from overeating or
excessive intake of specific nutrients.
prolonged, involuntary lack of food, results in discomfort, illness, weakness,
or pain that goes beyond the usual uneasy sensation.
Levels of Food Security & Insecurity:
- High food security- no reported indictions of food-access problems or limitations.
- Marginal food security- one or two reported indications-typically of anxiety over food sufficiency or shortage of food in the house. Little or no indication of changes in diets or food intake.
- Low food security- reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet. Little or no indication of reduced food intake.
- Very low food security- Reports of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.
Food Desert: parts of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole
foods, usually found in impoverished areas. This is largely due to a lack of
grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and healthy food providers.
WIC: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
provides Federal grants to States for supplemental foods, health care referrals,
and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and
non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five
who are found to be at nutritional risk.
Food Stamps: government-issued coupon that is sold or given to low-income persons and is redeemable for food.
Malnourished: a medical condition caused by an improper or insufficient diet. It most often refers to undernutrition resulting from inadequate consumption, poor absorption, or excessive loss of
nutrients, but the term can also encompass overnutrition, resulting from overeating or
excessive intake of specific nutrients.