Millions of people in US do not have regular access to nutritious meals

More than 49 million people in the US do not have regular access to nutritious meals, putting them at risk of a raft of physical, psychological and social problems, a report said.

Nearly 15 per cent of households in the US, representing 49.1 million individuals, experienced food insecurity sometime during 2008, says the report published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

“Food insecurity is often triggered by an event that stresses the household budget – losing a job or assistance benefits... or gaining a household member,” the report said.

With earlier studies showing that food insecurity is linked to poverty and worsens when the economy slows down, the report warned that the number of Americans who have trouble getting a nutritious meal is likely to rise. Other factors that contribute to food insecurity are high housing and utility costs, medical and health costs and mental health problems.