HJAR Jul/Aug 2023

42 JUL / AUG 2023 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS ADH CORNER COLUMN ADH CORNER hardship being only one aspect of the issue at hand. There are multiple other challenges that must also be addressed if we are going to be successful in addressing food insecurity. One such challenge in combating hun- ger is the problem of food deserts in the United States. A food desert is defined as a low-income community without a nearby grocery store or supermarket that sells nu- tritious food. For urban settings, this means grocery stores being more than a mile away from a population of people, and in rural set- tings, more than 10 miles away. In 2022, the USDAreported that roughly 6% of Americans lived in a food desert. The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement reports that in 2019, about half the people living in one-fourth of Arkansas’s census tracks had limited access to nutritious food. Arkansas is working to decrease food FOOD INSECURITY Is a Very Real Concern for Many Arkansans THE USDAestimates that 10.2% of U.S. house- holds experienced food insecurity in 2021. During that same year, 12.5% of households with children had food insecurity — in some of those households, only the adults were food insecure, while in others the children also experienced food insecurity. According to the USDA’s estimated prevalence rates for food insecurity by state, Arkansas ranked among the highest with 15% of households for the combined years of 2019-2021. Food-insecure households are households that are uncertain of having or unable to ac- quire enough food to meet the needs of all their members because they do not have enough money or other resources for food. In other words, food-insecure households are homes where people go without enough food from time to time — some more often than others. It’s a complex problemwith financial Food insecurity is an ongoing challenge in America. With inflation and the subsequent rising costs of food, food insecurity continues to be a hardship experienced by many families. insecurity on multiple fronts and in multiple ways. For example, theArkansas Department of Health maintains and manages the state’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). WIC helps women, infants, and young children get healthy food. WIC also provides breast- feeding support and provides information on healthy eating habits by providing supple- mental foods high in nutrients and making referrals to other health services. Infants, children under age 5, and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, and post- partum are eligible for WIC when they meet income guidelines, have a nutritional need, and live in Arkansas. WIC is available at all ADH local health units in all 75 Arkansas counties. Arkansas Children’s (ACH) is also tackling food insecurity in a variety of ways. Through