Overview
As access to healthy, nutritious, and safe food becomes increasingly unreliable, research on food insecurity is of critical importance both domestically and abroad. Yet efforts to address the global impacts of food and nutrition insecurity are often siloed and fractured. If researchers worldwide shared their strategies and proven methods, they would better be able to identify, adapt and implement evidence-based food and nutrition security interventions.
A
Frontiers journal supplement,
Learning from Global Food and Nutrition Insecurity, evolved from a three-part webinar series presented by the Fogarty International Center in the Fall of 2022. Both the webinar series and this 15-article "Research Topic" address the growing issue of food and nutrition insecurity, especially among low-income populations worldwide. The webinars and journal supplement also respond to the critical need for broader sharing and collaboration across borders.
In an editorial, the three co-editors of this Research Topic—Dr. Amos Laar of University of Ghana, Fogarty’s Dr. Susan Vorkopor, and Dr. Rafael Pérez-Escamilla of Yale School of Public Health—highlight the importance of established research networks and knowledge-sharing platforms to disseminate successful strategies. Their stated aims in choosing material for their Research Topic include mapping out globally agreed upon definitions, frameworks, measurement tools, and indicators of food and nutrition security, while describing the foodscapes and landscapes of food insecurity. They also aspire to identify opportunities for implementation of effective policies and programs and to spotlight food insecurity research gaps that need to be addressed.
The Research Topic includes studies on breastfeeding's role in food security, the implications of food insecurity among adolescents, the U.S. “Food is Medicine” initiative, and the impact of external shocks like economic downturns. The findings underscore the need for holistic, context-sensitive approaches and the importance of including diverse perspectives, particularly from the Global South, in developing equitable policies. Partnerships across disciplines and sectors are needed to address all forms of food and nutrition insecurity by 2030 as outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
More about Global Food and Nutrition Insecurity
Highlighting innovative research projects on nutrition and food insecurity and health outcomes in global settings.
Updated November 4, 2024