Mariana M. Chilton ^1* Diego Rose ²

¹ Drexel University School of Public Health
² Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mariana.chilton{at}drexel.edu.

	Abstract

Food insecurity is a serious public health problem associated with poor cognitive and emotional development in children and with depression and poor health in adults. Despite sizable continued investments in federal food assistance, food insecurity still affects 11.9% of US households—the same rate as in 1995, when annual measurement began. As a fresh approach to solving the problem of food insecurity, we suggest adoption of a human rights framework. This approach could actively engage those affected and would ensure that food security monitoring would be compared to benchmarks in national action plans. We describe key elements of a right-to-food approach, review challenges to implementing it, and suggest actions to foster its adoption.

Key Words: Gender, Health Policy, Human Rights, Nutrition/Food, Race/Ethnicity