CNS Webinar Series: Household food insecurity in Canada
Description:
The two webinars, presented by PROOF investigators Drs. Valerie Tarasuk and Herb Emery, will provide an opportunity to discuss the relationship between household food insecurity and food, nutrition, and health, as well as the implications for policy and practice.
Part 1: food, nutrition, and health in the context of pervasive material deprivation
This webinar will discuss population data on food insecurity prevalence and current trends; review the geographic and socio-demographic patterning of household food insecurity in Canada; examine how household food insecurity relates to dietary intakes, overweight and obesity, diet-related diseases, and health more broadly; and consider the relationship between households’ food insecurity status and their other financial needs and stressors. Finally, we will explore the implications of these learnings for health care providers and intervention in clinical settings.
Part 2: public policy responses and solutions
This webinar will draw on findings from Canadian research and recent international comparative studies to interrogate the relationship between the prevalence and severity of household food insecurity and social policy, considering family and child benefits, wages, pensions, housing and food subsidies, and the public funding of charitable food assistance programs. Building on this body of evidence, we will discuss key elements of effective policy responses to address food insecurity in Canada, considering the centrality of income security to this problem.
Description:
Food insecurity – the inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints – is a serious public health problem in Canada, and the economic fallout of COVID-19 has made it worse. Dr. Valerie Tarasuk leads PROOF, an interdisciplinary research team investigating household food insecurity in Canada. Now that we’re three months into the pandemic, she’ll share the latest research and answer questions about what comes next.
“What the Food?!” Household Food Insecurity & New Brunswick
Description:
The first in Food For All NB’s “What the Food?!” webinar series, founding PROOF investigators Dr. Valerie Tarasuk and Dr. Herb Emery dive into what household food insecurity is, what the research says about food insecurity in Canada and New Brunswick, and evidence-based solutions.
According to PROOF’s new report on household food insecurity in 2017-2018, more Canadians are food insecure than ever before, and the problem is only getting worse. In this webinar, Dr. Valerie Tarasuk reviews the latest data on food insecurity in Canada and discussed the implications of COVID-19 for food-insecure Canadians
Food Insecurity Measurement in Canada: Interpreting the Statistics
CDPAC Webinar #1
Description:
Food insecurity – the inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints – is increasingly recognized as a serious public health problem. Since 2005, household food insecurity has been systematically monitored in Canada through the Canadian Community Health Survey run by Statistics Canada.
The growing use of these data by public health, community agencies, research centres, and social policy groups has been critical in building awareness and understanding of the problem of food insecurity. However, inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the reporting of data on food insecurity mask the scale and severity of this problem. The accurate and effective use of Canada’s monitoring data hinges on a clear understanding of what exactly is being measured on the Canadian Community Health Survey, what it means, and how to interpret the food insecurity statistics available on Statistics Canada’s website (CANSIM). Anyone interested in using food insecurity statistics or learning about how food insecurity is monitored in Canada is encouraged to view this webinar.
Presenters:
Valerie Tarasuk, PhD – Professor at University of Toronto and principal investigator of PROOF
Suzanne Galesloot, MSA, RD – Public Health Nutrition Provincial Lead at Alberta Health Services
Tracy Woloshyn, RD – Public Health Nutritionist at York Region Public Health
Who is vulnerable to household food insecurity and what does this mean for policy and practice?
CDPAC Webinar #2
Description:
In this webinar, we delve into the question of what drives vulnerability to household food insecurity in Canada. Drawing on the wealth of Canadian data collected during more than a decade of food insecurity monitoring, we examine the social and economic circumstances of food insecure households and look at what has been found to underpin changes in household food insecurity status over time. We also discuss the relationship between food insecurity and health, considering the evidence of a bidirectional relationship for some conditions. The interpretation of these findings by Dietitians of Canada in their recent Position Statement and Recommendations – Addressing Household Food Insecurity in Canada are also shared as a platform for policy and practice recommendations.
Presenters:
Valerie Tarasuk, PhD, Professor, University of Toronto and PROOF principal investigator
Lynn McIntyre, MD, MHSc, FRCPC, FCAHS, Professor Emerita, University of Calgary and PROOF investigator
Pat Vanderkooy, MSc, RD, Public Affairs Manager, Dietitians of Canada
The following are links to the research abstracts. If you are looking for the full articles, please email proof@utoronto.ca
Fafard St-Germain AA, Tarasuk V. High vulnerability to household food insecurity in a sample of Canadian renter households in government-subsidized housing. Canadian Journal of Public Health 2017; 108(2)
How does food insecurity relate to health and what are the implications for health care providers?
CDPAC Webinar #3
Description:
In this webinar, we examine evidence of the impact of food insecurity on individuals’ mental and physical health and the financial burden food insecurity poses for our healthcare system. Although food insecurity is associated with dietary compromise, its effects on health extend beyond those associated with poor nutrition. We discuss the complex relationship between food insecurity and health, considering the evidence of a bidirectional relationship for some conditions and disentangling the relation between food insecurity and malnutrition. Finally, we examine the implications of this body of research for practice, particularly considering the challenges that arise in providing care to patients who are experiencing food insecurity.
Presenters:
Valerie Tarasuk, PhD, Professor, University of Toronto and PROOF principal investigator
Lynn McIntyre, MD, MHSc, FRCPC, FCAHS, Professor Emerita, University of Calgary and PROOF investigator
Carlota Basualdo-Hammond, MSc, MPH, RD, Executive Director, Nutrition Services, Alberta Health Services
