Food Insecurity

Food insecurity affects both physical and mental health. People who experience food insecurity may:

• Worry about running out of food
• Be unable to buy foods that meet their cultural, dietary, or personal needs
• Eat less food than they need
• Skip meals
• Go an entire day or more without eating

These experiences can lead to serious health impacts.

Children and teens are more likely to experience:

• Poor overall health
• Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression

Adults are more likely to experience:

• Poor physical, mental, and oral health
• Chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease
• Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and mood disorders

Every year, Southwestern Public Health monitors food affordability using the Ontario Nutritious Food Basket survey. This tool estimates the cost of eating based on Canada’s Food Guide and average food purchasing patterns.

The lowest prices for 61 food items are collected from eight grocery stores across Oxford County, Elgin County, and the City of St. Thomas. These prices are used to estimate the monthly cost of healthy eating for individuals and families.

The cost of food and housing is compared to different household income levels to understand how affordable it is for people to meet their basic needs. These scenarios show that many households cannot afford the cost of living, including food.

Note: Canada’s Food Guide and the Nutritious Food Basket do not fully reflect the food needs of all cultural or religious groups, or the traditional foods and food practices of Indigenous Peoples. This means the results may not represent everyone’s food needs or experiences.