Welfare State Spending, Income Inequality and Food Insecurity in Affluent Nations: A Cross-National Examination of OECD Countries

Md Belal Hossain,Paul B Stretesky,Michael A Long

doi:10.3390/su13010324

Abstract

Few studies examine the distribution of food insecurity in advanced capitalist nations. This research investigates cross-national food insecurity in the world’s largest economies by estimating the impact of welfare spending and income inequality on food availability (measured by the FAO’s Dietary Energy and Protein Supply indicators) and food accessibility (measured by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale) in 36 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries between the years of 2000 and 2018. Using a series of regression models on panel and cross-sectional data this research found that increases in state spending on social and health care are associated with (1) increases in food availability and (2) increases in food access. However, the findings also suggest that increases in food supplies do not produce more food security. Thus, for the OECD countries in this analysis, food availability is unrelated to food accessibility. We conclude by suggesting that high income countries that seek to promote global health should not only focus their efforts on poverty reduction polices that increase food accessibility within their own boarders, but must simultaneously ensure a more equitable global distribution of food.

Highlights

IntroductionDietary Energy and Protein Supply indicators) and food accessibility (measured by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale) in 36 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Dietary Energy and Protein Supply indicators) and food accessibility in 36 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
OECD countries can be classified as moderately or severely food insecure because they lack access to food [18,29]. The availability of this new food insecurity data allows for novel cross-national research on food insecurity in affluent countries. Using these new FAO data, the current paper examined the association between a host of independent variables, and the access component of food insecurity in OECD countries

Summary

Introduction

Dietary Energy and Protein Supply indicators) and food accessibility (measured by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale) in 36 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The primary focus of food insecurity research has shifted from availability of an adequate supply of food, to how food is distributed [1], which is deeply embedded in political-economic relationships [2]. When it comes to cross-national research this reorientation focuses more attention on food insecurity in affluent nations that tend to have a disproportionate amount of the world’s available food per capita [3,4]. The purpose of this research was to examine the predictors of food availability (measured by the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) dietary energy supply and dietary

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Conclusion