Health Status of Canadians 2016: Report of the Chief Public Health Officer - What is influencing our health? - Food insecurity

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What is influencing our health?

Food insecurity

In 2011-2012, more than 1 million or just under 1 in 10 Canadian households were living with moderate to severe food insecurity (see Figure 1)^{Footnote 1}.

Food plays a key role in health and well-being and is a basic human need.^{Footnote 2,Footnote 3} Food insecurity means not having access to enough safe, affordable and nutritious food to meet dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.^{Footnote 4,Footnote 5} Parents in food-insecure households may forgo food to ensure their children are fed.^{Footnote 6}

Did you know?

Food safety is also an important issue. An estimated 4 million episodes of food-related illnesses occur every year, with 11,600 hospitalizations and 238 deaths associated with these illnesses.^{Footnote 14}

Over time

From 2007-2008 to 2011-2012, the proportion of Canadian households living with food insecurity remained unchanged at 8%.^{Footnote 1}

By income

In 2011-2012, 31% of the lowest income households and less than 1% of the highest income households had moderate to severe household food insecurity.^{Footnote 7,Footnote 8} 21% of households using government benefits as their main source of income and 6% of households with other main sources of income were food insecure.^{Footnote 9}

Indigenous populations

Data on food insecurity in Indigenous populations are not directly comparable to the data described above. In 2008/2010, 54% First Nations on-reserve households reported being either moderately or severely food insecure.^{Footnote 10}

Food insecurity is significantly higher in Indigenous households. In 2007-2010, 27% of Inuit households reported having low to very low food security.^{Footnote 11} Other surveys suggest that rates of food insecurity in Inuit households may be even higher, reaching over 62%.^{Footnote 12,Footnote 13}

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