Chronic Diseases: Food insecurity is linked to higher rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Limited access to nutritious food often leads to poor dietary choices, which can exacerbate these conditions

Mental Health: The stress and anxiety associated with not knowing where your next meal will come from can lead to mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. The constant worry about food can also affect overall quality of life

Developmental Issues in Children: Children in food-insecure households are at risk of developmental delays, poor academic performance, and behavioral problems. Lack of adequate nutrition during critical growth periods can have long-term effects on their physical and cognitive development

Nutritional Deficiencies: Food insecurity often results in inadequate intake of essential nutrients, leading to deficiencies that can cause various health problems, such as weakened immune systems, anemia, and other nutritional disorders

Obesity: Paradoxically, food insecurity can also lead to obesity. This is because cheaper, calorie-dense foods are often less nutritious, leading to weight gain and associated health issues

Overall Health Decline: Over time, the cumulative effects of poor nutrition and chronic stress can lead to a general decline in health, making individuals more susceptible to illnesses and reducing their ability to recover from health setbacks

Addressing food insecurity is crucial for improving public health outcomes and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to lead a healthy, productive life.

BVFB partners with medical providers to identify food-insecure families and individuals and connect those identified with resources.  There are two simple, nationally validated, and widely used questions, available in multiple languages, which experience has shown are best provided in writing and can be added to patient check-in materials or included in a broader health assessment.

For each statement, please tell me whether the statement was "often true, sometimes true, or never true" for your household:

• Within  the past 12 months we worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more
• Within the past 12 months the food we bought just didn't last and we didn't have money to get more

Click here for more information about Hunger Screening and Intervention.

How Do We Respond to Patients who Screen Positive for Food Insecurity?

• Referral to the Care Coordination team and other resources
• Resource handout
• Offer food on-site

As a Screen & Intervene Partner Site, you will work alongside the Brazos Valley Food Bank to help address hunger in your community.

The Brazos Valley Food Bank:

• Raises funds and acquires food for Screen & Intervene
• Packs Screen & Intervene boxes, with the help of many volunteers
• Delivers Screen & Intervene boxes to Screen & Intervene Partner Sites  
• Provides a simple, constantly updated resource handout

Each Screen & Intervene Partner Site:

• Identifies food insecure patients using 2 simple, nationally validated, and widely used questions
• Refer identified food-insecure patients to resources
• Safely stores Screen & Intervene boxes until delivered to patients (if providing food)
• Report each month, telling us about the population served through the Screen & Intervene Program  

Become a Screen & Intervene Partner site - If your clinic is interested in more information about Screen & Intervene, contact Morayo Suara at morayos@bvfb.org