The TL;DR version of a recent article. Link at the bottom.
Some 40% of Massachusetts households, or 1.12 million people, experienced food insecurity at some point over the past 12 months, according to a report released Tuesday by the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham. That compares to 37% in 2024 and 19% in 2024.
Households experiencing food insecurity on average said they needed an additional $500 monthly to meet their basic expenses. The report found 46% of food insecure households had trouble paying for heat and electricity, and only about one in two households had stable housing.
Nearly eight in 10 adults living in food insecure households had at least one chronic medical condition, such as obesity, diabetes, dental or gum disease, cardiovascular disease and mental health issues. Among those who had to forgo care, 67% reported skipping prescriptions and 40% skipped dental care.
In food insecure households with children, 21% of people reported times when their child couldn't access medical or dental care due to costs.
Individuals in food insecure households were twice as likely to go to the emergency department or be hospitalized, the report found.
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment. All comments are moderated.