Food insecurity is the lack of access, at times, to enough food to meet all household members’ nutritional needs. And it’s often invisible to those who aren’t experiencing it. An employer may never know that one of their employees is skipping meals at home or choosing less expensive and less nutritious foods because they lack the money or resources to maintain a healthy diet every day. But just because you can’t see it does not mean it’s uncommon. In fact, food insecurity is one of the most commonly reported unmet social needs in the nation. An estimated 1 in 8 adults and 1 in 6 children in the U.S. may have experience food insecurity in 2021.
Employers have a unique opportunity to address food insecurity in their organization by partnering with insurers that look beyond traditional healthcare to address all the factors that influence well-being, including the physical, behavioral, and social drivers of health.
Some Of Your Employees Could Be Facing Food Insecurity Right Now
There is no single face of food insecurity. The lack of consistent access to affordable and nutritious food is influenced by an individual’s economic and social conditions, such as where they live and work, their race and ethnicity, and their income level. The rate of food insecurity is especially prevalent in Black households (21.7%) and households with children headed by a single mother (27.7%). Insurers that take a community-approach to reducing food insecurity can help employers to fight food insecurity in the neighborhoods and communities where their employees live. In 2021, Foundation grants from Anthem provided 5.5 million families with 30 million meals.
Food Insecurity Linked To Employee Absenteeism And Chronic Health Conditions
Food insecurity poses a challenge for employers because it impacts the health of their employees as well as workplace productivity. Poor health costs U.S. employers $530B (and 1.4B workdays) annually due to employee absences and low job performance. The combination of stress and poor nutrition associated with food insecurity can cause serious health conditions or exacerbate pre-existing ones. Even marginal food insecurity is associated with some of the most costly health issues in the United States.
The connection between food insecurity and obesity has been well documented. It’s based on the premise that food insecurity leads people to choose food options that may be inexpensive and highly palatable but have more calories and supply less nutrition. The CDC’s 2021 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps, 19 U.S. states have an adult obesity prevalence at or above 35%. Adults with obesity are at a greater risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and premature death. They also have approximately $2,505 higher annual medical costs, compared to people of a healthier weight. Rising food prices can also make access to healthier food options a challenge, with Americans currently paying 10% more for food at the grocery store than they did in 2021.
Help Your Employees Access Proper Nutrition And Combat Obesity
These recommendations can help employers combat food insecurity, encourage proper nutrition, reduce risk and increase productivity in the workplace:
- Socialize supplemental food assistance programs through orientation meetings and company communications and allow work schedule flexibility so employees can access these programs, which may only be open during typical work hours.
- Help employees make better choices at work by adding healthy snacks to your vending machines or break rooms. For employees who work remotely, offer nutrition webinars and virtual healthy eating support groups.
- Make nutrition programs a part of the workplace culture. Research shows employers that offer support through wellness programs and other resources help their employees reduce body weight and other potentially costly health issues.
Incorporate nutrition trackers into your benefits program. Nutrition trackers can have a transformative impact and help employees learn about macronutrients like proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, while providing helpful information for doctors and dietitians. According to a recent Anthem study, 95% of healthcare professionals believe access to a patient’s nutrition information would improve healthcare outcomes, but less than 15% have access to this information. Providers having access to this information allows for on-the-spot recommendations to improve nutrition and real-time adjusted dietary recommendations for specific health conditions. For example, the SydneySM Health app offers an intelligent and innovative nutrition tracker that can analyze food, track intake, and help employees make better food choices.
Food insecurity is a complex challenge that negatively affects the people we see and interact with every day –– including your employees. Partnering with insurers that are helping employers create food security and health equity for their workforce can help improve employee health and productivity and lower overall health care costs –– enhancing the overall well-being of your organization.
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