Health inequalities and nutrition

Pharmacy professionals will be increasingly aware of the financial pressures that may influence access to foods. Social and health inequalities may result in people being unable to afford the food they would like to eat, which can in turn influence nutritional status.

Food insecurity is defined as ‘limited access to food’ due to lack of money or other resources.⁴ Food insecurity is increasing in the UK. Data from September 2022 estimated that 18.4 per cent of households experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in the past month.⁵ Food insecurity leads to hunger and unhealthy diets, resulting
in an increased prevalence of physical and mental health conditions.⁵

The prevalence of food insecurity among children has been found to be higher than that among adults, with around 11 per cent of children living in food insecure households in 2016. Women living in a couple with children also tended to be more food insecure than men, because they were more likely to reduce their meals or skip eating so that their children would have enough to eat.⁶

Health inequalities need to be considered in relation to income and access to food. People who are at an increased risk of being food insecure include those living in households with lower incomes, those who are unemployed, younger people, people living in lone-parent households or single-person households, people who rent (particularly social renters) and people affected by ill health.