Hunger and Obesity: Understanding a Food Insecurity Paradigm

The Hunger and Obesity workshop, organized by the Institute of Medicine, examined the relationship between food insecurity and the obesity pandemic that the United States is facing today. The workshop brought together a diverse group of experts and discussed these issues among special subpopulation groups, examined variables through a socioecological model, suggested effective government programs demonstrating positive impact, proposed key research questions, methods, and measures, and also pointed to research gaps for future works. Health promotion practitioners and researchers, either new or experienced, could gain a broader perspective on important current issues surrounding obesity and food insecurity.