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This research examines the role of food aid providers, including their spatial engagement, in seeking to alleviate urban food poverty. Current levels of urban poverty across the UK have resulted in an unprecedented demand for food aid. Yet, urban poverty responsibility increasingly shifts away from policymakers to the third sector. Building on Castilhos and Dolbec's notion of segregating space and original qualitative research with food aid organisations, we show how social supermarkets emerge as offering a type of transitional space between the segregating spaces of foodbanks and the market spaces of mainstream food retailers. This research contributes to existing literature by establishing the concept of transitional space, an additional type of space that facilitates movement between types of spaces and particularly transitions from the segregating spaces of emergency food aid to more secure spaces of food access. In so doing, this research extends Castilhos and Dolbec's typology of spaces, enabling a more nuanced depiction of the spatiality of urban food poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food insecurity means that a person does not have access to sufficient nutritious food for normal growth and health. Food insecurity can lead to many health problems such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other long term health conditions. People living with a severe mental illness are more likely to experience food insecurity than people without mental illness. Peer‐led in‐depth interviews were conducted with adults with severe mental illness from Northern England, during which their experiences of food insecurity and strategies to tackle food insecurity were discussed. Interviews took place between March and December 2022, with interviews being transcribed and analysed using deductive and inductive thematic analysis. Thirteen interviews were conducted, finding that food insecurity in adults with severe mental illness was often a long‐standing issue. Unemployment, the cost‐of‐living crisis and fuel poverty impacted on experiences of food insecurity. Difficulties accessing food banks such as transport, stigma, and the limited selection of available food was also discussed. Strategies to tackle food insecurity centred on making food banks more accessible and improving the quality of available food. Future research should aim to eradicate food insecurity for adults with severe mental illness, as limited research and action focuses on this population group over and above 'mental illness' or 'poor mental health'. Removing barriers to accessing food such as lack of transport, and providing food which is of adequate nutritional quality, should be prioritised, as well as tackling the stigma and accessibility issues surrounding food banks use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background This study investigates the subjective perceptions of food poverty in Germany by analysing Twitter discourse using the German-language hashtag #IchBinArmutsbetroffen (#IamPovertyAffected) and examines the extent to which various dimensions of a multidimensional theoretical model of food poverty are represented in the discourse. Methods Employing a combination of computational social science and qualitative social research methods, the research identifies, and analyses tweets related to nutrition by applying a hierarchical dictionary search and qualitative content analysis. By examining the narratives and statements of individuals affected by food poverty, the study also investigates the interplay among different subdimensions of this phenomenon. Results The analysis of 1,112 tweets revealed that 57.96% focused on the material dimension and 42.04% on the social dimension of food poverty, suggesting a relatively balanced emphasis on material and social aspects of food poverty in the narratives of those affected. The findings reveal that tweets on material food poverty underscore economic challenges and resource scarcity for food. Social food poverty tweets demonstrate widespread deprivation in social participation, leading to isolation, exclusion, and social network loss. Overall, the results elucidate intricate interconnections among subdimensions and multidimensional manifestations of food poverty. Conclusions This study contributes methodologically by presenting an approach for extracting food-related textual social media data and empirically by providing novel insights into the perceptions and multifaceted manifestations of food poverty in Germany. The results can aid in a better understanding of the phenomenon of food poverty as it currently manifests in Germany, and in developing targeted social, health-promoting, and political measures that address more effectively the empirically evident multidimensionality of the phenomenon.

Background: This study investigates the subjective perceptions of food poverty in Germany by analysing Twitter discourse using the German-language hashtag #IchBinArmutsbetroffen (#IamPovertyAffected) and examines the extent to which various dimensions of a multidimensional theoretical model of food poverty are represented in the discourse. Methods: Employing a combination of computational social science and qualitative social research methods, the research identifies, and analyses tweets related to nutrition by applying a hierarchical dictionary search and qualitative content analysis. By examining the narratives and statements of individuals affected by food poverty, the study also investigates the interplay among different subdimensions of this phenomenon. Results: The analysis of 1,112 tweets revealed that 57.96% focused on the material dimension and 42.04% on the social dimension of food poverty, suggesting a relatively balanced emphasis on material and social aspects of food poverty in the narratives of those affected. The findings reveal that tweets on material food poverty underscore economic challenges and resource scarcity for food. Social food poverty tweets demonstrate widespread deprivation in social participation, leading to isolation, exclusion, and social network loss. Overall, the results elucidate intricate interconnections among subdimensions and multidimensional manifestations of food poverty. Conclusions: This study contributes methodologically by presenting an approach for extracting food-related textual social media data and empirically by providing novel insights into the perceptions and multifaceted manifestations of food poverty in Germany. The results can aid in a better understanding of the phenomenon of food poverty as it currently manifests in Germany, and in developing targeted social, health-promoting, and political measures that address more effectively the empirically evident multidimensionality of the phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Food insecurity in adults living with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) is an underresearched area worldwide. Aim: This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to identify and collate evidence on food insecurity in adults with SMI, in high‐ and upper‐middle income countries. Method: A comprehensive electronic search was completed up to August 2022. Random effects meta‐analysis was undertaken to determine the prevalence and the odds ratio for food insecurity in adults with SMI. Narrative synthesis explored the data further. Results: Sixteen publications were included (13 in the meta‐analysis). The prevalence estimate of food insecurity in adults with SMI was 41% (95% CI: 29% to 53%, I2 = 99.9%, n = 13). Adults with SMI were 3.31 (95% CI: 2.03 to 5.41) times more likely to experience food insecurity than comparators without SMI (z = 6.29, p <.001, I2 = 98.9%, n = 6). Food insecurity appears to be a risk factor for developing SMI. Discussion: This review suggests adults with SMI living in high‐ or upper‐middle income countries are more likely to experience food insecurity than the general population and that this relationship may be inverse. Implications for practice: Mental health practitioners should be aware of food insecurity and support individuals with SMI to access sufficient food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Methods Results Conclusion This study aimed to explore food insecurity prevalence and experiences of adults with severe mental illness living in Northern England.This mixed‐methods cross‐sectional study took place between March and October 2022. Participants were adults with self‐reported severe mental illness living in Northern England. The survey included demographic, health, and financial questions. Food insecurity was measured using the US Department of Agriculture Adult Food Security measure. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression; and qualitative data using content analysis.In total, 135 participants completed the survey, with a mean age of 44.7 years (SD: 14.1, range: 18–75 years). Participants were predominantly male (53.3%), white (88%) and from Yorkshire (50.4%). The food insecurity prevalence was 50.4% (n = 68). There was statistical significance in food insecurity status by region (p = 0.001); impacts of severe mental illness on activities of daily living (p = 0.02); and the Covid pandemic on food access (p < 0.001). The North West had the highest prevalence of food insecurity (73.3%); followed by the Humber and North East regions (66.7%); and Yorkshire (33.8%). In multivariable binary logistic regression, severe mental illness' impact on daily living was the only predictive variable for food insecurity (odds ratio = 4.618, 95% confidence interval: 1.071–19.924, p = 0.04).The prevalence of food insecurity in this study is higher than is reported in similar studies (41%). Mental health practitioners should routinely assess and monitor food insecurity in people living with severe mental illness. Further research should focus on food insecurity interventions in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objectives were to explore the prevalence of food insecurity in primary caregivers of young children in Ireland and to compare two tools for measuring food insecurity during the COVID‐19 crisis. A cross‐sectional online survey was conducted among caregivers of children aged <2 years in Ireland in May/June 2020. Relevant survey questions were closed‐ended using two established tools for measuring food poverty/insecurity; the Irish Food Poverty Indicator and the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the prevalence of food poverty/insecurity. To explore agreement in the classification of food insecurity by the Food Poverty Indicator and the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, Cohen's κ was used. Analyses are based on 716 participants; most had a 3rd‐level education and were married or in a partnership. Per the food poverty index, Ireland's national measure of food poverty, 3.9% (n = 28) of our sample were experiencing food poverty. This rose to 10.5% (n = 75) experiencing food insecurity when using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, which also measures worry/anxiety around access to food. There was low agreement between the tools, with 11.3% of the sample classified as food secure by one tool and food insecure by the other. Our current measure of food poverty in Ireland may not be sufficient to describe the food‐access struggles or worry/anxiety about food access, experienced by the population, particularly during an emergency like COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction & Background Previous literature has found that financially vulnerable households often make involuntary spending trade-offs between necessities, particularly energy and food. This effect is especially pronounced during winter, when homes require greater energy expenditure to maintain an adequate temperature. Despite frequent colloquial and journalistic references to the "heat-or-eat dilemma”, there remains limited recent empirical evidence of this phenomenon in the UK. This is a considerable knowledge gap, given recent economic hardship and rising energy costs. Objectives & Approach This study uses survey data (n=2877), collected during winter 2022 in London, UK, to analyse the sociodemographic and behavioural characteristics of respondents affecting self-reported heat-or-eat trade-offs. The survey was deployed via users of the food-sharing app, OLIO, and quota restraints were enforced to ensure the socioeconomic representativeness of the sample (based on Index of Multiple Deprivation). The survey question of interest (i.e., the dependent variable) was ""in the past year, how frequently did your household reduce or forego expenses for basic household necessities, such as medicine or food, in order to pay an energy bill?"" and responses were recorded using a discrete, ordinal scale: never; 1-2 months; some months but not every month; almost every month. Given the nature of the dependent variable, the Random Parameters Ordered Probit (RPOP) model, a statistical modelling framework used in the case of discrete, ordered outcomes, was considered suitable. The RPOP approach allows the effect of various independent variables to be explored, which in this case, are sociodemographic and behavioural characteristics of respondents. Relevance to Digital Footprints The relevance to the digital footprints theme is embedded in the study’s aim: to draw insights into social issues through the analysis of sociodemographic and behavioural data retrieved from the users of a mobile app. Results Initial results show that a considerable proportion (~37%) of the sample made heat-or-eat trade-offs at least one month of the year. Interestingly, this is several times higher than the official rate of fuel poverty in London (11.9%), suggesting that the government’s fuel poverty metric fails to capture many homes that display signs of energy unaffordability. The RPOP model estimation results show that a broad range of sociodemographic variables (including features of household composition and disability), as well as several behavioural features derived from the respondents’ use of the OLIO app, including the frequency of app usage and food requests, significantly affected the likelihood of heat-or-eat trade-offs. Conclusions & Implications Our results can be used to guide remedial food and fuel poverty policies. It may be particularly useful to focus on the sociodemographic variables that lead to heat-or-eat trade-offs, given that the English fuel poverty metric places arguably unjust focus on a home’s energy efficiency, rather than occupant characteristics.

Food insecurity is not a new phenomenon even in leading European economies, but this complex problem area is facing new global challenges. This article traces the research gap in addressing food insecurity by focusing on the role of food retail chains in the former “Eastern Bloc” in light of unprecedented food price inflation and the resulting scale of demand for the services of food banks. Through empirical analysis of secondary financial corporate data, a low level of their profitability in the period of 2011–2019 was revealed, which preceded the synchronicity of two unexpected global economic downturns. Specifically, Return on Sales for food retailers located in the Czech Republic and Hungary was generally below 2%, offset by higher Total Asset Turnover figures, consistent with the need to extend the volume of goods for sale. Development in profitability in selected newer EU member states is just as significantly similar to the situation in Ukraine. The mutual interaction of factors of economic size and the country of residence of business was analyzed regarding a possible influence on their financial performance. This study concluded that the presence of unresolved market distortions can both lead to increased food insecurity and, paradoxically, contribute to increased food waste. AcknowledgmentThe authors are thankful to the Internal Grant Agency of Mendel University in Brno for financial support to carry out this research as the partial output of the project No. IGA-PEF-TP-23-015 “Zajišťování výživových potřeb obyvatelstva vzhledem k aktuálním výzvám v oblasti regenerativních přístupů při vykonávání hospodářských činností podniků agropotravinářského komplexu se zaměřením na roli tuzemských potravinových bank”.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the social and environmental factors involved in the food decision-making processes of families living on lower incomes on the Island of Ireland. Design: A qualitative design was employed for this study, using photovoice and creative mapping methods. Parents were requested to take photos and draw maps of their food environments. Interviews were then conducted with parents, using the materials produced by parents as a cue to discuss their food environments, influences and decision-making processes around food choices. Setting: The participants were interviewed online via Microsoft Teams. Participants: The participants were parents or guardians of children between the ages of 2 and 18 who self-defined as 'living on a tight budget'. Results: Twenty-eight participants were recruited and interviewed for this study, including twelve parents in Northern Ireland and sixteen in the Republic of Ireland. The findings were mapped on to Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and showed that multiple, overlapping and intersecting factors at the individual, micro-, meso-, exo-, macro- and chrono-system were implicated in family food choices. Upstream factors in particular, including structural, policy and commercial determinants, appear to be significant drivers of behaviour. Conclusions: While the findings suggest that a complex range of factors are involved in family food choices, it is clear that policy measures and regulations are needed to stave off the impacts of rising social inequality and food poverty. Health promoters should strive to find non-stigmatising interventions to bridge the nutritional divide experienced by lower-income families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of supporting socially disadvantaged population groups is not new and has a tradition both in core EU countries and in newer ones as well. However, there are new challenges the European society have to face, whether it was a pandemic of a new type of coronavirus or the current war of Russia against Ukraine. People suffering from a lack of quality food with regard to individual nutritional needs are more likely to be affected by chronic diseases, and a lack of food is also associated with many adverse effects on the overall health of the population, or the threat of an increase in socio-pathological manifestations in human society. Food banks then, as specific purpose entities, play an important role within the so-called safety net that serves for immediate, time-limited assistance to the groups of the population most affected by the food poverty. Aim of this article is to address the food poverty increase in the EU by identifying the financial performance of food chains in Visegrad 4 member countries, which have been most affected by food price increases among EU member states. Subsequently, the relationship between business goals in the area of profitability and the public interest in food security is discussed. We employ in our explorative study both market data on price development of one of the basic foodstuff -- butter as a processed milk product and also corporate micro-financial data of food retailers based in Visegrad 4 member countries, to explore relationships between consumer prices development and financial performance of food retail sector. The search for a solution to deal with the existence of food insecurity in Europe in the long run must definitely be anchored in a more comprehensive and systematic approach. This article considers food retail chains as an important stakeholder in that area. In light of unprecedented food price inflation in years 2022 and 2023, it is also discussed a possible overlap in the area of financial business goals of food retailers regarding the food poverty increase in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on a field perspective, this article adopts a relational approach that lets us make sense of food charities' interconnections, relationships and social positioning. I analyse how food charities working with different models of provision do boundary work and resolve the cognitive dissonance arising from simultaneously competing and collaborating. Making use of several semi-structured interviews, I illustrate how Trussell Trust food banks, independent food banks and pantries' directors mark symbolic boundaries when illustrating their models of provision vis-a-vis other models (e.g. pantries vs food banks) but build symbolic bridges when discussing the ultimate ends of charitable food provision. This strategy lets them resolve the tension arising from two contradictory stances and is representative of what I call 'hunger bonds': relationships of cooperation and mutual help that also permit positional returns to be obtained and strategically advance a specific vision of the field order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing food insecurity instruments are focused largely on the financial constraints associated with acquiring sufficient amounts of food. This narrow focus has resulted in underestimating the true prevalence of food poverty, particularly in high-income countries. Food poverty needs to be defined as capability deprivation, extending from the nutritional to the temporal, spatial, qualitative and affective aspects of eating. In this article, the Alkire-Foster counting approach is evaluated and an alternative method for measuring such multidimensional food poverty is proposed. The method is demonstrated by using evidence from interviews with 53 single mothers, the most highrisk social group in Japan. On the basis of an operational definition of food deprivation and poverty cut-offs, 16 mothers (30%) were identified as living in food poverty, followed by a qualitative analysis of their deprivation profiles. The results show that the economically-poor were highly likely to fall into food poverty, but that food poverty also occurred without economic deprivation, notably among the mental or physical illness carriers and long-hour workers. This multidimensional and decomposable measurement tool is effective for identifying foodpoor populations not reflected in traditional food insecurity measurement instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food poverty and insecurity have become a public health emergency in many high-income countries. News media coverage can shape public and political views towards such issues. This rapid review synthesizes the evidence on how food poverty and insecurity are represented in the news media. Peer-reviewed publications were accessed through three electronic databases, with reference lists of all included studies screened. Primary research studies conducted in high-income countries and published in English since 1995 were included, with no restrictions on study methods. A combination of deductive coding to Entman's framing theory and inductive analysis was used. Ten studies, mostly rated as low quality, were included in the review. Newspapers were the only type of news media examined. The findings showed a largely absent nuanced understanding of food poverty and insecurity, with the problem often defined by food bank use and the consequences mainly focused on physical health. The causes were mostly attributed to structural factors, with the solutions largely focused on charitable food aid. The discourse of recipient (un)deservingness of food aid was evident. Articles often contained views from government officials and charities, with individuals' experiences of food poverty and insecurity largely absent. The findings of this review highlight that a major shift in print media discourse on food poverty and insecurity is required. More balanced and critical news reporting is required to present a more realistic picture of food poverty and insecurity, including its multi-dimensional nature, limitations of food charity and the need for structural solutions to this important issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a project carried out as a design-led systemic action aimed at tackling food poverty among people experiencing homelessness in Turin, Italy. Building on their experience in this project, the authors discuss the complex and multidimensional nature of homelessness-related food poverty within a mature socio-economic context and argue how design enabled systemic actions to understand and tackle this phenomenon. First, the article describes the birth and development of the ongoing project. It outlines the background scenario within which Alimenta started eight years ago, by presenting the issues and the spotty response to food poverty performed by the civil society and the city administration at that time. Then, it outlines how Alimenta was designed to address the health and social needs related to the scarcity and the qualitative deficiencies of food resources for the people hosted in the city’s public shelters. It highlights the relevance of the multi-stakeholder perspective and of the co-design and co-production approach – promoted by the project team – in allowing the city actors to better deal with food poverty and to counter the several criticalities at stake. Second, the authors describe how by enabling multi-level relationships between local actors, and by coordinating and facilitating actions pursuing different objectives, Alimenta has contributed to a systemic response to the material and immaterial aspects of food poverty. The article thus presents the achievements of the project regarding the well-being of the beneficiaries and the new local food system created. Finally, a focus is given to the knowledge that the project has generated in relation not only to the phenomenon of food poverty and to the possible ways of facing it but also to the possible role of designers in this kind of contexts. Thus, the authors discuss the limits of Alimenta and the potential scalability of the designed interventions from a ‘design for policy’ perspective.

Abstract Objective: To describe the prevalence of food poverty according to dimensions of socio-economic inequality and the food groups consumed by Brazilian children. Design: Dietary data from a structured qualitative questionnaire collected by the Brazilian National Survey on Child Nutrition (ENANI-2019) were used. The new UNICEF indicator classified children who consumed 3–4 and

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the social and environmental factors involved in the food decision-making processes of families living on lower incomes on the Island of Ireland. Design: A qualitative design was employed for this study, using photovoice and creative mapping methods. Parents were requested to take photos and draw maps of their food environments. Interviews were then conducted with parents, using the materials produced by parents as a cue to discuss their food environments, influences and decision-making processes around food choices. Setting: The participants were interviewed online via Microsoft Teams. Participants: The participants were parents or guardians of children between the ages of 2 and 18 who self-defined as ‘living on a tight budget’. Results: Twenty-eight participants were recruited and interviewed for this study, including twelve parents in Northern Ireland and sixteen in the Republic of Ireland. The findings were mapped on to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and showed that multiple, overlapping and intersecting factors at the individual, micro-, meso-, exo-, macro- and chrono-system were implicated in family food choices. Upstream factors in particular, including structural, policy and commercial determinants, appear to be significant drivers of behaviour. Conclusions: While the findings suggest that a complex range of factors are involved in family food choices, it is clear that policy measures and regulations are needed to stave off the impacts of rising social inequality and food poverty. Health promoters should strive to find non-stigmatising interventions to bridge the nutritional divide experienced by lower-income families.

Food insecurity is a multifaceted problem. It is, in fact, one of the most significant concerns of the 21st century. According to the United Nations, nearly one in every three people, or 2.3 billion people worldwide, experienced a moderate to severe degree of food insecurity in 2021. As a result, there is a rising recognition of the critical need for successfully identifying, monitoring, and improving the food security of vulnerable populations. An effective method for anticipating the degree to which a region may be considered food insecure, however, is required before attempting to launch remedies for such a situation. To this end, we propose a novel machine learning-based spatial index in this article for estimating the degree of food insecurity experienced by a population. A real-world case study pertaining to South Africa is presented which demonstrates the applicability of our modelling approach. In particular, our roadmap designed towards developing the index is based on a spatial analysis of the study region and the construction of an appropriate data set. Following that, the strength of machine learning algorithms is harnessed to estimate the risk of food insecurity. Finally, the results of the aforementioned components are analysed to determine the causes and features of food insecure regions. The demonstration of the roadmap presented in this article exhibits promising results in its ability to classify 92.3% of food-insecure regions in South Africa correctly, thereby potentially supporting decision makers in their quest to improve food security policies and programmes. The research presented here may, in future, be extended by including additional descriptive features in the data set, increasing decision support utility through actionable recommendations, and exploring the temporal aspect of food security by incorporating cross-sectional data.

Food insecurity, defined as uncertainty in reliably accessing adequate quantities of nutritious food, is an issue for many families and children, including in New Zealand. Drawing on the experiences of mothers, this study explored the nature, causes and impact of food insecurity for their families. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews conducted with six female sole-parents were complemented with food insecurity data from the NZ Health Survey and Youth2000 surveys. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and emergent themes analysed. The major driver of food insecurity was low income relative to essential household outgoings. Coping strategies employed invariably involved reducing the quantity and quality of food consumed. Negative impacts of food insecurity included significant stress, neglect of personal needs and missing meals in favour of children. Concerns expressed for children included reduced provision of nutritious food and constrained social and recreational opportunities. Participants described the daily struggle of feeding their household despite personal sacrifices, a range of coping strategies and community support. Quantitative data showed persistent high prevalence of household food insecurity with inequity by ethnicity and disability status. Findings highlight food insecurity as an ongoing public health issue for which urgent action is required to reduce its damaging impacts on families and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows that early Franciscan economic thought might offer a relevant contribution to the debate about food waste. Some elements related to the Franciscan concept of usus pauper—like the ideal food quantity and food type or the criticism against food storage—might be useful for establishing a more balanced individual relationship with food. This more balanced relationship is an ante-litteram example of food education promoting sustainable food consumption and preventing food waste. Franciscan economic thought might promote voluntary self-commitment initiatives against food waste based on frugality and sustainable choices and contribute to the broader development of alternative economic paradigms compared to mainstream orthodox economics, as has recently been occurring with the perspective of the Economy of Francesco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution investigates the phenomenon of food poverty, focusing on the dimensions, forms and dynamics that this condition takes on in the urban context of the city of Turin. The general objective is to provide a theoretical advance in the scientific debate and to better contextualise the phenomenon at the local level to propose policy indications for the actors involved in forms of assistance/counteraction. In the last three years, mainly due to the socio-economic crisis triggered by the pandemic and the increase in the prices of necessities, the incidence and intensity of food poverty have changed, exacerbating the conditions of those who were already experiencing it and eroding the ability of a large segment of the population to protect themselves from material deprivation. Corresponding to this operational complexity there is a semantic polysemic - both in the scientific debate and in public discourse - due to a plurality of theoretical-disciplinary approaches that fragment the definitional framework with consequences on understanding and treatment of the phenomenon. In this framework, the contribution delves into this complexity, providing an operational and contextualised definition of the Italian case through the analysis of the results of the sample survey conducted at the end of 2021 on a group of 205 food assistance recipients in Turin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This narrative review paper considers the link between poverty and food security in urban and rural Nigeria, with emphasis on the economic (food availability & accessibility), social (people related factors) and environmental (effective resource use) implications. This study suggests that appropriate governance mechanisms must be put in place while developing strategies and policies to address problems of poverty and food insecurity in Nigeria. Improving infrastructure, mitigating the impact of continuing population growth, and uneven distribution of income, and identifying opportunities for education are important components to consider in developing food security policies and strategies for the Nigerian people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies assessing the nutritional quality of food provided to the homeless population show deficiencies in micronutrients and excess fat, sugar, and salt. The availability of cheap, energy-dense and nutrient-poor food has changed the profile of people living with homelessness from primarily underweight to obese in western countries. Many factors influence the nutritional quality of food provided to the homeless population such as budget and time constraints, food donations and limited equipment. Nutrient intakes in this population are unlikely to be met outside of charitable meal programmes, making the nutritional quality of these meals crucial. This review will synthesise mixed methods literature with the overarching aim of understanding the determinants of the nutritional quality of food provided to the homeless population. Methods: This mixed methods systematic review will include English language empirical research studies from Europe, North America and Oceania. The following electronic databases have been chosen for this review: SCOPUS, EMBASE, PsycINFO, EBSCOHost SocIndex and CINAHL. The grey literature databases OpenGrey and ProQuest will also be searched. Quality appraisal will be conducted using the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool. Two independent reviewers will be included in study selection, data extraction and quality appraisal. A third reviewer will resolve conflicts. Thematic synthesis will be employed. Discussion: Results will be organised based on a determinants of health model, to highlight areas where change may be effective, thereby making it more likely to be useful to practitioners and researchers. The iterative steps in the systematic review process will be the focus of this article. Findings from this review will be used to develop best-practice guidelines for stakeholders such as policy makers and service providers to improve the nutritional quality of food provided in the homeless sector. Systematic review registration: This mixed methods systematic review protocol has been registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42021289063. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific literature dealing with food security is vast and fragmented, making it difficult to understand the state of the art and potential development of scientific research on a central theme within sustainable development. The current article, starting from some milestone publications during the 1980s and 1990s about food poverty and good nutrition programmes, sets out the quantitative and qualitative aspects of a vast scientific production that could generate future food security research. It offers an overview of the topics that characterize the theoretical and empirical dimensions of food security, maps the state of the art, and highlights trends in publications' ascending and descending themes. To this end the paper applies quantitative/qualitative methods to analyse more than 20,000 scientific articles published in Scopus between 2000 and 2020. Evidence suggests the need to find more robust links between micro studies on food safety and nutrition poverty and macro changes in food security, such as the impact of climate change on agricultural production and global food crises. However, the potential inherent in the extensive and multidisciplinary research on food safety encounters limitations, particularly the difficulty of theoretically and empirically connecting the global and regional dimensions of change (crisis) with meso (policy) and micro (individual behaviour) dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic crisis in early 2022 in Sri Lanka has had a massive negative impact on the social and economic life of female-headed households in the country. In particular, food poverty affects many families. This study was conducted to investigate the food consumption patterns of femaleheaded households after the economic crisis in Sri Lanka. Female headed households in five Divisional Secretariat Division of Ampara District were selected as the study sample based on purposive sampling techniques. Qualitative research methodology was used. In-depth interview and focused group discussion were used as primary data collection tools. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis method. The study found that after the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, there was a massive decline in food consumption, quality of food consumed and quantity of food consumed by female-headed households. Most female-headed households consume food only to satisfy hunger. Very small households have maintained the quality of food consumption, which has put them in debt. Traditional food consumption practices have changed and new food habits have emerged in certain families. The study suggests that the prevalence of food poverty among female-headed households should be addressed immediately and alternative programs should be designed to improve their condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about debates on rethinking food and other socio-technical systems. While swiftly re-establishing normality has understandable appeal in a crisis, the landscape-level changes during the pandemic also hold windows of opportunity to “build back better” and to achieve sustainability transitions. In this article, we ask whether a cycle of disruption and adaptation results either in the rise of more sustainable niche practices or the consolidation of the socio-technical regimes in place. To approach this question, we consider the specific cases of charitable and on-the-go food provision and examine the extent to which COVID-induced adaptations have resulted in debates about, and implementations of, more just and sustainable practices. We draw on systems transitions and practice theoretical approaches to elucidate dynamics and elasticity and thus the effect of socio-technical practice changes. After describing the pre-COVID food regimes, we evaluate organizational practice adaptations during the lockdowns with regard to (1) changing cultural images of food security and provision, (2) socio-technical innovations, and (3) new forms of governance. We find that rather than justifying the public and policy frame of “building back better,” the effect of recovery measures reinforces the socio-technical regimes and omits wider sectoral and societal sustainability challenges such as the systemic reduction of poverty and waste.

This study examines the potential of charitable alternative food networks (ANFs), specifically community markets, as a complimentary solution to existing food aid efforts in response to food insecurity. While foodbanks play a crucial role in providing emergency food aid, they often face challenges in terms of supply shortages, limited food variety, and perpetuating dependency on food aid. Moreover, foodbanks may only offer temporary relief without addressing the root cause of food insecurity. Community markets, on the other hand, adopt a social economy approach and aim to empower local communities by providing affordable food options to all community members. These markets operate on a different business model than foodbanks and offer additional vouchers for those who cannot afford to purchase food. Community markets also focus on promoting social and economic goals and often provide additional services and activities within the community centers. By assessing the perspectives of beneficiaries of foodbanks and community markets, the paper examines the dimensions of food security (availability, access, utilization, and stability) in the context of both charitable AFNs and highlights the potential of community markets and foodbanks to address these dimensions. While there is ongoing debate about categorizing food aid programmes as AFNs, both share the goal of reducing food insecurity and promoting sustainable and equitable food systems. Ultimately the paper argues that community markets offer a more sustainable and empowering approach to addressing food insecurity by addressing its underlying causes and promoting community resilience.

The multifaceted nature of poverty in terms of its duration or chronicity, systematic changes, seasonality, variation, and risk or vulnerability makes its measurement and analysis complicated, especially in lower-income countries. In Ghana, data show that absolute poverty remains prevalent, and inequality has been rising. Despite the gradual decline in poverty, spatial income inequality has also become a concern in Ghana. This study develops a Foster-Greer-Thorbecke Poverty Measure based spatiotemporal model to investigate the variation in food poverty in Ghana. Application to population-based surveys fielded in 2012/13 and 2016/17 indicate that considerations of temporal and spatial dimensions of poverty have implications for gaging the level of deprivation among households and the potential allocation of scarce resources via policy to achieve poverty alleviation objectives. A model that jointly considers both the spatial and intra-annual dynamics arguably considered the most accurate and flexible but data-intensive one, resulted in the mean unconditional food poverty rate of 50%, with the lowest rate being the Northern Region in March (45%) and the highest rate being in the Upper West Region in June (54%). Overall, cost-wise, this flexible model also results in the highest potential cost savings.

Over the past decade, food insecurity has been increasing across the United Kingdom. The 2020/21 Covid-19 global pandemic has further aggravated food insecurity. This article examines how Covid-19 affected food insecurity through, first, a review of existing literature on the UK and, second, through presenting research results from Scotland with a focus on four groups considered to be specifically vulnerable to food insecurity – namely people with a disability, the homeless, young carers, and (destitute) asylum seekers. The article finds that Covid-19 impacted food insecurity in three ways: (1) it led to rising need driven mainly by income reductions and income crises; (2) it created new and intensified food access challenges; and (3) it had a significant impact on the operation of food banks and their important 'wrap-around' services (e.g. benefits advice). The article concludes with a discussion of the role of the social sciences in understanding the food insecurity crisis during Covid-19. In summary, the article adds to the developing understanding of the consequences of Covid-19 on food insecurity, the effectiveness of policy measures and the role that social sciences can play in times of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the cost-of-living crisis the UK news has been increasingly reporting of individuals "choosing between heating and eating," suggesting overlapping food and fuel poverty (FFP). The media plays a powerful role in establishing narratives, shaping political debates, and even influencing what societies regard as an "issue" or a "public health issue." Relying on framing theory, this media analysis seeks to better understand how FFP have been constructed relationally in the UK news and how surrounding public health messaging has been employed. Using the NexisLexis database, we searched for UK news articles about intersecting FFP published between January 2010 and April 2022. After double screening, relevant data were extracted from 185 articles and data fragments were coded and analysed. FFP-focused news largely gained momentum in late 2021 into 2022. Two frame categories – descriptive and prescriptive – of FFP were identified. Descriptive frames explained the experience of FFP as a: trade-off between goods (71% of articles), mutual cutback of goods (28%), or just poverty (income/monetary poverty) (1%). Prescriptive frames assigned blame or responsibility to: government (59% of articles), food/fuel industry (13%), community or charity organisations (12%), or individuals (3%). Relatively few (29%) articles linked FFP with health consequences , and none framed it as a health issue. The prominence of the trade-off frame in the UK news suggests that FFP is a crucial topic for the UK public that requires joint attention. Despite the prominence of the government responsibility framing, the frame lacks accompanying prescriptions of consistent, specific, targeted solutions. A public health frame in the UK news may address this gap by outlining potential evidence-based solutions and increasing capacity by appointing responsible actors to help prevent and address this issue. • Reports of intersecting food & fuel poverty (FFP) have markedly increased in the UK news since 2010. • Framing theory provided insights into public perceptions of FFP and why it is regarded as one issue. • FFP is most commonly descriptively framed as a trade-off between food and fuel by UK news sources. • FFP is often framed as a government responsibility, yet the frame is vague, and lacks consistency. • Framing FFP as a public health issue in the UK news may help generate discussion around prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Food hubs enhance sustainability, strengthen local food systems and local economies. • Food hubs contribute to food security, health, sustainability, justice and resilience. • Food hubs improve the health, wellbeing and agency of their communities. • Policy support and funding needed to transition away from emergency food provision. In the context of rising food insecurity, food hubs such as food pantries, food banks, community agriculture supported schemes, social supermarkets, community kitchens and cafes, have proliferated both in number and in the roles they perform. Food hubs have a range of benefits in the communities that they serve as well as the wider food system. However, more empirical evidence is required to build a compelling case for policy support. Using the area of Leeds, UK as a case study, and taking a mixed methods approach (i.e. evidence synthesis, mapping, survey and interviews) we present the food hubs' perspectives on the benefits that they offer to food security, sustainability, resilience and food justice. Food hubs reflect on how their activities enhance sustainability, strengthen local food systems, support local economies, and improve the health, wellbeing and agency of their communities. In doing so, food hubs contribute to regional, national and global priorities on food security, health, sustainability, justice and resilience. However, to scale up or out their positive impact, food hubs require support to transition away from emergency food provision to longer-term, holistic and financially viable models that focus on community wellbeing and empowerment, healthy diets, local economies and environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food poverty is a phenomenon that is currently receiving increasing social attention in both the Global South and the Global North. It is often equated with food insecurity, for which numerous assessment tools and reports exist. However, only limited specific data can be found on food poverty. Starting from a theoretical concept of food poverty, this article examines in a scoping review which dimensions of food poverty are captured by indices and indicators of food insecurity and general poverty assessments. The review focuses particularly on the social dimension of food poverty and points out that it is under-reported and that no adequate assessment tools exist so far. Existing indices and indicators of food insecurity and general poverty assessments are critically reviewed and suggestions for the assessment of social food poverty for policy and practice derived.

This article makes the case for incorporating the right to food into notions of the everyday economy in the UK. Beyond the important entitlement to sufficient safe, nutritious and affordable food, the right to food calls for structural change in the current food system and the empowerment of citizens in the everyday production, procurement and consumption of food. We consider the role of reproduction and consumption of food in everyday settings of the household, workplace and community, suggesting that considerations of time combine with questions of earnings and income in addressing the UK's deepening crisis in food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: To describe the prevalence of food poverty according to dimensions of socio-economic inequality and the food groups consumed by Brazilian children., Design: Dietary data from a structured qualitative questionnaire collected by the Brazilian National Survey on Child Nutrition (ENANI-2019) were used. The new UNICEF indicator classified children who consumed 3-4 and <3 out of the eight food groups as living in moderate and severe food poverty, respectively. The prevalence of consumption of each food group and ultra-processed foods (UPF) was estimated by level of food poverty according to age categories (6-23; 24-59 months). The most frequent combinations of food groups consumed by children living in severe food poverty were calculated. Prevalence of levels of food poverty were explored according to socio-economic variables., Setting: 123 municipalities of the five Brazilian macro-regions., Participants: 12 582 children aged 6-59 months., Results: The prevalence of moderate and severe food poverty was 32·5 % (95 % CI 30·1, 34·9) and 6·0 % (95 % CI 5·0, 6·9), respectively. Children whose mother/caregiver had lower education (<8 years) and income levels (per capita minimum wage <¼) had the highest severe food poverty prevalence of 8·3 % (95 % CI 6·2, 10·4) and 7·5 % (95 % CI 5·6, 9·4), respectively. The most consumed food groups among children living in food poverty in all age categories were 'dairy products', 'grains, roots, tubers, and plantains' and 'ultra-processed foods'., Conclusion: Food poverty prevalence was high among Brazilian children. A significant occurrence of milk consumption associated with grains and a considerable prevalence of UPF consumption were found among those living in severe food poverty.