The Socio-Economic and Physical Contributors to Food Insecurity in a Rural Community

Quynh Lê,Gretchen Long,Stuart Auckland,Daniel R Terry,Sandra Murray,Hoang Boi Nguyen

doi:10.1177/2158244014567401

Quynh Lê, Gretchen Long + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244014567401

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Abstract

Australia is considered a highly food-secure nation; however, this is not always the case for every individual, household, and community. This article examines the physical and financial access to food of the population of Dorset, a rural municipality in North East Tasmania (Australia); the impact that socio-economic factors have on their food security; and the coping strategies they use when food shortages occur. A mixed-methods approach was used: Quantitative data were collected through the Tasmanian Household Food Security Survey and qualitative data through nine community focus groups conducted throughout the Dorset municipality. A total of 364 respondents (response rate 63%) completed the survey. Two main themes were identified within the data: food availability and food access. Food availability considered food origin, sustainability, and food production, whereas food access considered physical access, financial access, and other access issues such as awareness, skills, cultural preferences, and social support. The data revealed the wide-ranging effects of the importation of cheaper food alternatives, which had long-term implications not only on individuals’ health but also on the economic health of the community. A number of respondents indicated they were at times unable to buy nutritious foods due to limited finances, which led some to go without food or use other strategies to feed themselves. This study highlights the inappropriateness of the continuation of individual behavior change as a policy focus, as many of the problems facing communities are beyond individual abilities. Thus, the implications for policy from this study are centered on providing further support for strategies that focus on ensuring equity and food security for all, particularly the rural inhabitants of many food-secure nations.

Highlights

Food security is defined as a situation that “exist when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO], 1996)
The two concepts of food affordability and food awareness are encapsulated in the idea of food access
This article reports a number of findings of a larger study, which examined the physical and financial access to food that people have in a rural region of Tasmania, the impact socio-economic factors have on food security, and what coping strategies they adopted when there were food shortages

Summary

Introduction

Food security is defined as a situation that “exist when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO], 1996). Food security, in addition to environmental justice and sustainability, has a direct influence on health and well-being outcomes of communities (Agyeman & Evans, 2003). For this reason, food security remains a key concern for public health nutrition, in terms of the capacity for individuals, families, and communities to secure a diet that is consistent with dietary guidelines and recommendations (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2013; Queensland Health Treasury, 2000). The two concepts of food affordability (the ability to pay for healthy nutritious food) and food awareness (the knowledge and skills needed for food preparation and cooking) are encapsulated in the idea of food access

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