Population Health
Health Promotion

Healthy Environments

Food Security

Health Promotion - Healthy Environments - Food SecurityAccording to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, food security exists "when all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life."

Access to healthy food is critical to enable people to maintain their short-term and long-term health; to prevent obesity and the development of chronic disease. Access depends on a number of factors such as having sufficient resources, mobility, transport, nearby shops with fresh food and the facilities to store and prepare it.

Those at the greatest risk of food insecurity include the unemployed, those on low incomes, single parent families, people living alone, public housing tenants, people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and refugees and migrants from emerging communities.

While there is not regular and in-depth reporting on the prevalence of food insecurity, there are a number of studies which have shown that in SWSLHD, which is home to many of the groups listed above, food insecurity is a widespread problem.

  • A  2004 survey of 3  low-income suburbs in south west Sydney  found that 21.9% of households were food insecure, rising to 30% in households with dependent children and more than 45% of single parent households
  • A 2006 study of recently-arrived refugees in Fairfield found that in some African communities, food insecurity was over 80%
  • A 2010-11 study of young people who were homeless, or living in supported accommodation, found over two thirds had experienced food insecurity, and most had inadequate intakes of staple foods such as vegetables, fruit, dairy products, bread and cereals.

When we started work in 2004, food security was a relatively new concept in Australia and our focus was mainly on local projects, but as interest has grown we are now working with a range of partners, and the number and scope of projects has increased. We have also broadened our initial focus on three low-income areas, to work with groups particularly vulnerable to food insecurity such as refugees and Aboriginal people. We are increasingly involved in advocacy work.

We have adopted a 3-fold approach to working in local communities.

  • Working with community members to develop tailored local projects to improve access to affordable food, such as community gardens, community kitchens, community markets and pantries 
  • Capacity building with communities and community organisations:  providing  training, building networks and  increasing the number and range of organisations working to promote food security
  • Advocacy to raise awareness and action at a policy and resource level; organising forums, conferences and submissions to public enquiries.

 

Some current projects include: 

  • School breakfast programs research project
  • Aboriginal food security
  • Community kitchens
  • Food security training
  • Developing catering social enterprises
  • Food advocacy alliances

More information
Contact Liz Millen on 02 9780 2841 or email Elizabeth.Millen@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

 

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Page last updated: 19 January, 2015