Advancing Policies for

Nutrition and Food Security

Policymakers must implement solutions to ensure food security and adequate nutrition for all. Information, data points, policies, and resources on this page were curated to help advocates learn and take action on policy to improve food security and public health nutrition.



Browse the policy guides

MENTAL & BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

Environmental Health & the Climate

Infectious Diseases & Vaccination

Maternal & Infant Health

Nutrition & Food Security

Substance Use Prevention



Food insecurity is pervasive, affecting millions of Americans every year.



Malnutrition, chronic diseases, mental health conditions, difficulty at work or school, and social isolation, stigma, and shame are associated with food insecurity.



Social costs of food insecurity include impacts to worker productivity, healthcare spending, and military readiness.



Communities of color, low-income communities, and rural and remote communities are disproportionately affected.

ࠀ

Learn more about Nutrition and Food Security

Data to Power Your Advocacy

We can transform our policies, systems, and environments to provide the vital community conditions that all people need to achieve food security. Below are policy aims, example policies, and programs to advance food security.



Expand Access and Distribution

Increasing access to nutritious food through robust distribution systems is essential to reducing food insecurity and improving community health.



Enhance SNAP Benefits

Enhancing SNAP benefits and eligibility can address gaps in food assistance and ensure more families have access to healthy foods.



Expand Educational Programming

Nutrition education and outreach are critical for equipping individuals and families with the tools to make healthy food choices.

Food Assistance as a Targeted Universalism Approach to Food Security

Policies that provide food assistance can follow a “Targeted Universalism” approach, by offering tailored supports in order to achieve universal goals, such as food security. These policies flexibly address the needs of specific priority populations, including children from low-income families, and pregnant, peri-natal, and breastfeeding people. Federal food assistance programs include SNAP, WIC, and school meal programs. These programs provide critical, systems-level support for food and nutrition assistance. Public Health stewards should continue advocating for the maintenance, improvement, and expansion of these programs to ensure that people’s basic needs for food and nutrition are met

ADVANCING FEDERAL POLICIES

Federal Food Assistance Programs

SNAP and WIC: These programs are critical for reducing food insecurity by providing financial support for purchasing food and have been bolstered by federal policy to address both immediate needs and systemic disparities.

School Meal Programs: Ensure that children receive nutritious meals, helping to combat hunger and improve academic outcomes.

Healthy Food Incentives: Initiatives like Double Up Food Bucks encourage healthier eating habits by making fresh produce more affordable

Learn and Act with Community Commons

Policies and information contained in this module are based on the Public Health Policy Information Sheet which was prepared by WE Public Health, LLC for the American Public Health Association and Public Health AmeriCorps.