Food Insecurity

Adult Obesity

Child Obesity

Childhood Healthy Weight

Commercial Determinants of Health

Financial Wellbeing

Health Inequalities

Healthy Eating

Housing

Nutrition

Obesity

Overweight

Poverty

Food Insecurity

Introduction

A healthy diet is essential for good health and nutrition which leads to better health outcomes. However, some individuals and households face barriers preventing them from meeting their dietary requirements. These include difficulties accessing healthy food, poor availability and limited disposable income, all contributory factors to food insecurity.

The faculty of Public Health defines food insecurity as “lack of access to adequate, nutritious food in a socially acceptable way”.¹ This may mean meal sizes are smaller than usual or skipping meals, being hungry but not eating or not eating at all for a whole day because of the cost and difficulties accessing food. Vulnerable groups are disproportionately affected due to factors such as low income, increasing food prices, energy bills, a limited choice of food and restricted access to transport. Individuals and households may, as a result, experience adverse health effects, both mentally and physically, in comparison to those who have fewer barriers in accessing and eating nutritious food.

Levels of food insecurity have risen in the UK over recent years. In January 2025, 2.4 million adults in the UK reported not eating for a full day because they could not afford or get access to food and 17.9% of households with children experienced food insecurity.² In 2022, 11% of the Derbyshire population were food insecure with local geographical variations. The greatest proportion of households affected were in Amber Valley (10,134) and the fewest in the Derbyshire Dales (5,814).³

Why is it important to Population Health?

Food insecurity is important to population health for many reasons:

Price and Affordability

The rising cost of living is having an impact on food insecurity. Healthy, nutritious food is almost three times more expensive per calorie than unhealthy products. The most deprived fifth of the population would need to spend 45% of their disposable income on healthy food, rising to 70% for those households with children.⁴ The price of buying healthier food means that households who are already struggling with the cost of living are more likely to buy and consume foods higher in fat, sugar and salt as they are less expensive to buy. Individuals and households with low incomes are therefore more likely to experience food insecurity.

Availability

Food deserts are geographical areas with limited availability and access to food outlets selling affordable, nutritious food. Food outlets, such as supermarkets, offer a variety of food choices and fresh produce and cater for a wide range of budgets - but they are not always accessible. Local communities with poor transport links, and households without cars, may not be able to shop in a supermarket and so have a greater reliance on convenience shops. 40% of the lowest income households lack access to a car so have to shop locally and neighbourhood shops are more likely to sell low quality, ultra-processed food.

A quarter of food outlets in England are fast-food premises.⁵ Furthermore, the location and concentration of fast-food premises are higher in the most deprived areas with double the level compared to the least deprived.⁶ Meals eaten outside the home tend to have more calories and larger portion sizes than compared to preparing and cooking food at home.

The growth of fast-food availability near to schools is another contributing factor to food insecurity in children. In comparison to 10 years ago, 1,000 more schools have at least one of the top 10 well-known food outlets within 400m of the school gates.⁷

The expansion of accessing food via digital apps has created a food industry which caters for online food orders via delivery platforms. The advent on virtual kitchens, often rented kitchen spaces with no storefront or seating, fulfils digital orders which are delivered directly to the customer via couriers for well-known delivery apps. The expansion of food delivery services has increased fast-food availability, which often have less nutritious options, serving a wide geographical area.

The neighbourhoods we live in, and food environments we are exposed to, have a significant influence on choice and dietary behaviour.

Diet-related ill health

Over-consumption of unhealthy food is a leading cause of preventable illness and a contributor to health inequalities. Evidence shows that eating healthily can reduce poor health outcomes and the risk of developing conditions such as obesity, heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. People living in the most deprived decile are 2.1 times more likely to die from preventable heart disease, 1.7 times more likely to die from preventable cancer and children are nearly twice as likely to be overweight or obese at age 11.⁸

Food insecurity can also contribute to emotional stress and anxiety. Adults with mental ill-health are disproportionately affected by food insecurity.⁹

Disadvantaged Groups

Some people are more likely to be affected by food insecurity than others. It has been shown to impact the following groups: ethnic minorities, people in receipt of benefits, the LGBTQ+ community and individuals with a disability. These groups are more likely to experience discrimination, mental health struggles and socioeconomic difficulties. People who are limited by a disability are five times more likely to experience food insecurity than those living without a disability. Households with dependent children are also more than twice as likely to experience food insecurity than those without children.¹⁰ Children in food insecure homes can be affected physically and emotionally and this can impact social and cognitive development including academic performance.

Environmental Impact

The link between food choice and income is proven - households with limited funds are restricted in the types of products purchased. This may mean consumers are less likely to choose more sustainable products as they are comparatively more expensive than meat and dairy. Plant-based milk alternatives, for example, are on average 55% more expensive than dairy milk. Individuals and households experiencing food insecurity are therefore less able to afford a sustainable diet and the environmental benefits they offer.

Climate Change

The impact of climate change effects food prices. For example, extreme and severe weather events globally can reduce crop yields which can have a knock on effect on the supply chain. The result is an increase in food costs which hits lower income households, deepens food insecurity and exacerbates poor health outcomes and health inequalities.

Food Banks and Pantries

Food banks are run by charities to provide food to individuals and families in immediate need. In 2023/24 Trussell, a charitable network of UK wide food banks, supplied over 3 million emergency food parcels, with over a million for children. This is a rise in the number of people using food banks for the first time, reflecting the increase in the number of people facing food insecurity. Food pantries, often membership based services in communities, are another outlet to enable people to access nutritious food at more affordable prices.

Food Choice

Households who are food insecure are more likely to cut back on buying healthy foods as they are comparably more expensive than other less healthy food choices. Children from the least well-off 20% of families consume around 29% less fruit and vegetables, 75% less oily fish and 17% less fibre than the most well-off 20%.¹¹ The Food Foundation found that 1,000 calories of healthy food costs £8.80 compared to £4.30 for the equivalent amount of less healthy food, including ready meals and processed meats.

Housing

Preparing and cooking a meal requires a suitable space and fit for purpose household appliances. However, an estimated 1.9 million people in the UK are living without a cooker, 2.8 million people without a freezer and 900,000 people without a fridge.¹² Even with provision and access to white goods, some families cannot afford the gas and electricity costs to run them, let alone cook a healthy, nutritious meal.

The Derbyshire Population Health Approach

The Derbyshire Population Health Approach focuses on prevention, population health, evidence-informed practices, causes, and collaboration. It emphasises proactive measures to prevent health issues, tailors interventions to specific populations, incorporates evidence-informed practices, addresses underlying causes, and promotes collaboration for effective action.

When considering the topic of food insecurity within The Derbyshire Population Health Approach:

• Prevention

Preventing food insecurity includes making healthy food more accessible, integrating food support with local services such as Citizen’s Advice, raising awareness to remove stigma together with the continuation and expansion of existing programmes.

As one of the original Feeding Britain pilot areas, launched in 2015, Feeding Derbyshire continues to develop sustainable solutions to address food insecurity. Feeding Derbyshire supports and/or coordinates:

School Holiday Food Programmes to ensure children have access to meals outside term time
Food banks, community kitchens, and community cafes across the county
Affordable Food Clubs, FareShare food hubs, and surplus food redistribution schemes
Low-cost food bags in schools, breakfast clubs, and holiday clubs combining food and activities
Cooking on a budget and other adult education courses including cooking skills to build food resilience

National schemes, provided at a local level, such as the Healthy Start Scheme, free school meals, and Derbyshire’s Household Support Fund also provide help to those in need.

Derbyshire has recently launched the Emergency Infant Formula Pilot Pathway; a collaborative initiative to support families in financial crisis who are unable to access infant formula through the usual means.

Local services such as Live Life Better Derbyshire provide help for individuals and families to access health and nutritional advice. This includes The Healthier Futures programme which supports families to address their health goals.

Educating professionals and the public is essential to address the stigma which exists to better understand the meaning of food insecurity and its underlying causes.

A preventative approach will collectively reduce pressure on families, improve nutrition and drive better health outcomes.

• Population

Food insecurity affects different population groups in different ways.

More deprived areas of Derbyshire have higher levels of food insecurity than others, highlighting the need to continue targeted interventions including food banks and pantries.

Some household types are more affected than others. Lone parent households and their children are more likely to be affected than any other group to access food services such as food banks. 86% of single parent households in the UK are women-led so women are more likely to require help.

The lower the level of income in households, particularly those with limited financial stability, the more likely choices have to be made between food and other expenditure such as clothing, energy bills and transport costs. The balance between income and expenditure is a pressure felt by many people, widening the health inequality gap.

Food insecurity is associated with employment status. Unemployed people are more likely to be food insecure compared to those in work and who are retired. For those in employment, the type of work and job role are also relevant. A poll by the Living Wage Foundation (2025) showed that 59% of low paid workers had to skip meals regularly.

People living with poor health are more likely to be affected. For example, individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) face difficulties accessing healthy food as they don’t always have the skills, equipment and motivation to prepare and cook a nutritious meal. Food insecurity can also worsen long-term health conditions. Food with little or no nutritional value, may result in conditions such as diabetes being more difficult to manage as consumption of foods high in sugar, which are often cheaper, will directly affect blood sugar levels. A lack of access to healthy food can lead to malnutrition. This includes people who are not eating enough or eating too much of the wrong type of foods, potentially leading to obesity, which can result in nutritional deficiencies.

Households with a disabled person are more likely to experience food insecurity than those without. Disabled people are less likely to be employed, and even if in employment, they are often paid below average salaries, so limited disposable income means less money to spend on food and other essential items. Food choice can also be limited due to a greater reliance on local food shops and the difficulties often faced by disabled people, such as wheelchair access and dependency on public transport.

The impact of food insecurity on children from birth to teenagers can be wide ranging from nutritional deficiencies, poor physical and cognitive development, anxiety and social isolation. This can lead to long-term difficulties in education and employment.

Housing Tenure is also linked to food insecurity. 16% of social renters are likely to experience difficulty accessing and affording healthy food in comparison to 2% of people who own their own home.¹³

• Evidence

The Food Strategy for England (2025) builds on a previous, independent strategy to promote healthier, affordable and more sustainable frameworks to enable people to access nutritious foods and lead healthier lives. The strategy acknowledges that food insecurity has negative impacts on productivity, the economy and health.

Addressing income and affordability is essential if progress is to be achieved. Food higher in calories and low nutritional value are more likely to be consumed as they are cheaper, forcing households to make a choice between quality and quantity. Finance is therefore a barrier to accessing healthy food and evidence shows that policies to support low-income families should improve levels of food insecurity. This includes supporting the continuation of food banks and food pantries to help those struggling with money difficulties and accessing healthy food.

Targeted programmes providing help to those most at risk of food insecurity, such as children, should be further strengthened. This includes free school meals, free breakfast clubs, Healthy Start Scheme and the holiday activities food programme. Research shows that investing in children’s health improves educational outcomes, emotional wellbeing and nutrition.

Despite the knowledge that eating more nutritious food leads to better health outcomes, this is not always attainable for a variety of reasons. Studies show that limited skills and resources such as inadequate access to food preparation areas, cooking and storage provision, including freezers, means that despite the intention to eat more healthily, it may not be possible. Initiatives addressing furniture poverty enable more households to own white goods such as fridges, which may encourage the purchase, storage, and consumption of healthier foods.

• Causes

The underlying causes of food insecurity are multi-factorial including poverty, low wages, high food prices, lack of transport and inadequate local infrastructure to support buying healthy food.

The commercial influences of the the food industry are another contributor through the direct and deliberate marketing of cheap and unhealthy foods, often targeted in areas of higher deprivation. Over consumption of these foods often leads to diet-related health issues such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes and other long-term health conditions, which in turn puts pressure on the health system.

Developments in digital infrastructure means that consumers are able to quickly access food at the click of a button. This can be positive by enabling people to have more choice and overcome transport and access difficulties, however, it can also be negative as unhealthy cheap food is readily available, including fast food and ready meals.

• Collaboration

Food insecurity requires a multi-agency approach, due to its wide ranging causes, to make meaningful changes.

Feeding Derbyshire is a county wide partnership, funded by Derbyshire County Council, helping people on low incomes and debt to access good quality, nutritious food. Led by Rural Action Derbyshire, and collaborating with partners including Trussell, Age UK and Citizens Advice, it co-ordinates projects for the most vulnerable residents in Derbyshire. This includes food banks and pantries across the county as well as food donation points. Ensuring the quality at food pantries is healthy and well balanced is important to ensure that those most in need have access to items which promote good health.

Partnership working with key stakeholders who play a role in addressing furniture poverty, will help improve access to those in need of white goods such as cookers and freezers. Having the means to prepare and cook healthy food from scratch means less reliance on ultra-processed foods and take away meals.

The approaches and strategies of private sector organisations, known as the commercial determinants of health, can negatively influence individuals and households on a number of public health issues including food choice. For example, the proliferation of fast food outlets, and advertising of unhealthy foods in local communities, makes it more difficult to access and eat healthy food. Promoting an understanding of the commercial determinants of health, to both internal and external partners, will increase awareness and understanding of the negative influences and help partners to work locally and collaboratively to reduce health inequalities. A fundamental shift is required to lessen the exposure to those most at risk of buying and eating foods high in sugar, salt and fat. Working with licensing and planning departments around relevant policies offers a route for positive collaboration and potential for change.

Latest Derbyshire Data

Trend Data

No trend data available

Prevalence Maps of Derbyshire

The maps below illustrate various geographies for Derbyshire. LSOAs and MSOAs are geographical divisions used for statistical purposes, allowing for more detailed analysis of local data. In these maps, you can explore various health indicators and data for Derbyshire, providing valuable insights into the area’s health and wellbeing.

In the top right of the map, you’ll find the ‘Layer Control’ icon. This is an easy way to customise what you see on the map visualisation. Click the ‘Layer Control’ to choose which information is displayed on the map. Pick the indicator that interests you the most, and the map will transform accordingly.

Slope Index

This chart illustrates the differences in health and lifestyle factors across areas in Derbyshire, from the most deprived (decile 1, red) to the least deprived (decile 10, green). As you move from left to right on the chart (from more deprived to less deprived areas), the line shows whether these factors are becoming more or less common. Essentially, it’s a way to see how living in wealthier or poorer areas affects the prevalence of these factors.

Further Analysis & Assessments

Derbyshire Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) involves a thorough examination of a specific health problem, exploring its causes, consequences, and underlying factors. It combines various data sources, collaboration with stakeholders, and rigorous analysis to generate insights for evidence-informed interventions and policy changes.

More Information & Resources

Here is a list of useful resources and information with regard to food insecurity. These materials are meant to provide individuals, healthcare professionals, and communities with the knowledge and tools they need as part of efforts to address food insecurity as a population health topic.

Contributors

Becky Hoskin, Service Development Officer