Addressing Food Insecurity in Primary Care

Abstract Food insecurity is a significant health disparity with associated socioeconomic, physical, and psychologic implications for millions of Americans. The inability to consistently access adequate amounts of nutritious food to sustain a healthy, active life both directly and indirectly leads to depressive symptoms and diagnoses. Primary care providers should screen all patients for depression and food insecurity and are poised within the community to make a significant impact on health disparities such as food insecurity, depression, and chronic disease that decrease the quality of life for millions of Americans.