What do we mean by food insecurity?
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) defines food insecurity as: ‘Limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable food in socially acceptable ways (e.g., without resorting to emergency supplies, scavenging, stealing or other coping strategies).’ Food insecurity is a wider term than ‘food poverty’ as it includes those who may be able to afford food but are unable to access or prepare it – for example, the elderly, the housebound or those with disabilities.
This profile provides data on the impact, key risks and causes of food insecurity in Wiltshire. It contains useful research resources and a summary of what we are doing collaboratively to reduce food insecurity in Wiltshire. The profile also includes areas for further development to improve our understanding of the local picture and promotes collaborative, evidence-based suggestions to reduce food insecurity in our area.