RESUMO
The aim of this review is to highlight the key issues in relation to food insecurity among children and young people living in Scotland. It provides an overview of the current context of food insecurity more generally within the UK and specifically in Scotland. Food insecurity has risen in Scotland evidenced through responses to national surveys and the dramatic increase in households relying on emergency food provision. Food insecurity is highest among young people, single parent families and single men. The key drivers of food insecurity include insufficient income, welfare reform, food inflation and geo-political events. Evidence suggests that food insecurity is negatively related to sufficient nutritional intake, and the implications for physical and mental health are profound. Policy actions implemented to mitigate the impact of food insecurity on children and young people include the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment, food voucher schemes, free school meals, and holiday food provision. Further evidence is required to evaluate the success of these policies in reducing or mitigating food insecurity. The review concludes by considering the ways in which a rights-based approach to food might benefit children and young people living in Scotland, and argues that wider systemic change is required.
RESUMO
Estimates suggest that over 10% of the UK population are affected by food insecurity. International evidence indicates that food insecurity is a risk factor for many long-term health conditions, and can adversely affect people's ability to manage existing conditions. Food insecurity is thus not only a serious social concern but also a healthcare issue requiring the attention of UK health professionals. An exploratory qualitative study was undertaken to investigate the experiences and views of health professionals in north east Scotland, with a particular focus on support for people with long-term conditions whom they believed were affected by food insecurity. Two focus groups and nine semi-structured interviews were undertaken with a total of 20 health professionals between March and July 2016. Thematic analysis generated three main themes. The health professionals had (a) diverse levels of understanding and experience of food insecurity, but between them identified a range of (b) negative impacts of food insecurity on condition-management, especially for diet dependent conditions or medication regimes, and for mental health. Even for those health professionals more familiar with food insecurity, there were various (c) practical and ethical uncertainties about identifying and working with food insecure patients (it could be difficult to judge, for example, whether and how to raise the issue with people, to tailor dietary advice to reflect food insecurity, and to engage with other agencies working to address food insecurity). This study indicates that health professionals working with food insecure patients have learning and support needs that warrant further investigation. Debates about health professionals' responsibilities, and interventions to guide and support health professionals, including tools that might be used to screen for food insecurity, must also reflect the diverse lived needs and values of people who experience food insecurity.