Food security definition, measures and advocacy priorities in high-income countries: a Delphi consensus study

Abstract

Objective: To establish an international consensus on the definition of food security, measures and advocacy priorities in high-income countries. Design: A two-round online Delphi survey with closing in March 2020 and December 2021. Consensus was set a priori at 75%. Qualitative data was synthesised and priorities were ranked. Setting: High-income countries. Participants: Household food security experts in academia, government and non-government organisations who had published in the last five years. Results: Up to 32 participants from 14 high-income countries responded to the Delphi with a 25% response rate in Round 1 and a 38% response rate in Round 2. Consensus was reached on the technical food security definition and its dimensions. Consensus was not reached on a definition suitable for the general public. All participants agreed that food security monitoring systems provide valuable data for in-country decision-making. Favoured interventions were those that focussed on upstream social policy influencing income. Respondents agreed that both national and local community level strategies were required to ameliorate food insecurity, reinforcing the complexity of the problem. Conclusions: This study furthers the conceptual understanding of the commonly used definition of food security and its constituent dimensions. Strong advocacy is needed to ensure food security monitoring, policy and mitigation strategies are implemented. The consensus on the importance of prioritising actions that address the underlying determinants of household food security by experts in the field from across wealthy nations provides evidence to focus advocacy efforts and generate public debate.

How do children perceive and understand the experience of household food insecurity? A narrative review of the literature

“…For example, these varying definitions may hamper the comparability of research findings and hinder efforts to develop global strategies and international development campaigns or aid initiatives. This lack of consensus limits the assessment of the effectiveness of such initiatives, and a uniform understanding has been argued as crucial for identifying meaningful progress (Gallegos et al, 2023). The application of context-specific descriptions may allow for more accurate identification and understanding of the problems at hand.…”

Food relief providers as care infrastructures: Sydney during the pandemic

“…With food relief shifting from an emergency solution to a core source of food for increasing numbers of people, there is an urgent need for the infrastructural failures of conventional food provisioning to be addressed. The new definition of food security developed by Gallegos et al (2023) directly challenges the reliance on food relief as a solution to food insecurity, signalling the importance of government action to address the root cause of poverty. The complex "erosion of the welfare state" signalled by Power et al (2022, p. 2) was momentarily disrupted when governments decided to make it possible for some groups (not all) to meet their care needs by increasing welfare payments.…”

“…Thus, for Australia to be food secure, all people need to have access to sufficient food and need not be reliant upon food charity, a point that challenges the dependence on charitable food relief rather than addressing a root cause of hunger-poverty (Gallegos et al, 2023).…”

A design thinking‐led approach to develop a responsive feeding intervention for Australian families vulnerable to food insecurity: Eat, Learn, Grow

“…14,15 Food security exists when people have regular and reliable physical, social and economic access to sufficient safe, nutritious and culturally relevant food that meets their dietary needs and preferences. 16 In high-income countries, approximately 12% of individuals experience food insecurity, 17 with higher rates in disadvantaged populations. 18 In Australia, FI prevalence ranges between 4% and 36% depending on the measurement tool used and is experienced more in households with socioeconomic disadvantage.…”

“…Household FI, even at marginal levels, has demonstrated impacts on children's behavioural, academic and emotional outcomes 14,15 . Food security exists when people have regular and reliable physical, social and economic access to sufficient safe, nutritious and culturally relevant food that meets their dietary needs and preferences 16 . In high‐income countries, approximately 12% of individuals experience food insecurity, 17 with higher rates in disadvantaged populations 18 .…”