NYHealth Survey of Food and Health
By
NYHealth
Funding Area
Healthy Food, Healthy Lives
Date
August 16, 2022
Across New York State, food insecurity—the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life—is prevalent, persistent, and costly.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 1 in 10 New Yorkers—nearly 2 million people—were food insecure. Food insecurity jeopardizes health. Evidence proves that individuals with uncertain access to food have lower diet quality, higher rates of diet-related disease, and higher health care costs.
This NYHealth survey dives deep into the lived experiences of New Yorkers who are food insecure and contrasts them with the food-secure population. The report details the results of a 1,507-person statewide survey. The results are clear: food insecurity is strongly associated with worse health.
Below are some key takeaways: