“These costs keep increasing every year, and because of the cost of housing and inadequate income, many people and families are struggling every month to meet the needs of their household,” says Nikolas Hotte, Manager of the Chronic Disease Prevention program at the EOHU.
Food insecurity is defined as not having enough money to buy food
Data shows that in Eastern Ontario, one in seven households fit this description. “Food insecurity is a serious public health problem that impacts physical, mental and social health,” says Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health at the EOHU. To learn more about food insecurity, visit the “No Money for Food is… Cent$less” website.
Every year, the EOHU along with all health units in Ontario, completes the costing of 67 food items to estimate the basic cost of healthy eating for individuals and households. The data collected in the Nutritious Food Basket survey is used to monitor both the affordability and accessibility of foods by comparing the cost of a nutritious food basket to individual and household incomes.
Source: Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)