Global Food Insecurity and Disparity of Effects

Global Food Insecurity and Disparity of Effects
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August 13, 2022
Literature Review
           This section will discuss the current studies and statistics conducted on the issue of Global Food Insecurity (GFI) around the world. It includes an overview of the problem, current knowledge and research, and gaps in the studies.
Overview of Global Food Insecurity
           The problem of global food insecurity is one of the persisting problems that the world has yet to address. In one report by the United Nations, the organization estimated that about 2.37 billion individuals in the world did not have adequate access and supply to food back in 2020 (United Nations, 2022). This presents a significant increase from previous data showing that about 1.9 billion people were insecure about food back in 2017 CITATION Con09 \l 1033 (Conceição & Mendoza, 2009). These estimates are beyond the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals of ending hunger, with other estimates suggesting that one in five people (20%) lives on about 1 USD per day (Mugambiwa & Tirivangasi, 2017). 
Recurring Problems and Misconceptions
One of the main misconceptions about food insecurity is that it is only a “third-world problem.” However, studies done by Conceição and Mendoza (2009) have shown that GFI exists even in developed and relatively developed countries like China and India, while those done by Laborde et al. (2020) also noted the same phenomenon in the United States and Europe as a result of an unprecedented economic crisis. Thus, contrary to common misconceptions, a strong and solid pool of studies show that food insecurity exists in every nation worldwide (Gonzalez, 2004). 
Yet, one of the forgotten aspects of GFI is its varying effects on different individuals. This may span various aspects of an individual’s life, including his physical, social, and emotional health and well-being, which also necessitates a deeper understanding of these differences. The following analysis of previous studies would help provide a deeper insight into these kinds of adaptations. 
Hedonic Adaptation between Classes
           One of the disparities related to GFI is the difference between the perceived effects and the actual circumstances that different economic classes experience. As early as 2008, studies by Smith and Richards (2008) have found that different perceptions of food insecurity have caused varying consumption patterns, such as the tendency to overeat when food becomes available in individuals from lower socioeconomic status. 
           Unfortunately, recent studies on different SES classes and populations suggest that rather than addressing and understanding these gaps, individuals are more likely to adapt relative to their situation. For example, Galiani et al. analyzed GFI adaptation in less-developed countries found that hedonic adaptation is prevalent. This phenomenon happens when individuals who suffer more severe circumstances tend to perceive better improvements, resulting in the same amount of relief as those living in better conditions. In fact, previous studies as early as 2005 have shown that hedonic adaptation leads people with lower SES to experience better “attenuation” than others, even with smaller amounts of help provided (Castiel, 2005). 
A more recent study by Frongillo et al. (2019) also showed that hedonic adaptation, which contributes to the increased disparity in GFI, is also highly present between nations. Notably, the authors found out that the perceived effects of global food insecurity are more significant when it comes to more-developed as compared to less-developed countries, such as when it comes to the negative perceptions of individual subjective well-being. Today with the advent of the Covid-19 Pandemic, this shortage in the food supply, coupled with changes in quantity and quality of food access, has affected food security in lesser-developed countries and regions (Laborde et al., 2020).
Despite this, however, several studies show that rather than demanding change, those who live in poorer regions tend to adopt a stance towards hedonic adaptation rather than demand real and actual change from the authorities. This is in line with recent systematic reviews, which showed that individuals living in poorer areas tend to become less sensitive to changes in dietary intake and other internal and external conditions caused by this issue (Carrillo-Álvarez et al., 2021). In other words, one of the problems in addressing food insecurity is the tendency of individuals to adapt to reducti...