Early Childhood Food Insecurity: An Emerging Public Health Problem Requiring Urgent Action (Motion #35-24)
Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts, May 16, 2024
Motion moved by TESSIER – NOLAND
35-24 Early Childhood Food Insecurity: An Emerging Public Health Problem Requiring Urgent Action
MOTION:
WHEREAS the severity of food insecurity across Ontario is worsening1; and
WHEREAS Provincial action is urgently needed to protect young children 0-24 months of age from the harmful effects of household food insecurity; and
WHEREAS Public Health Sudbury & Districts advocacy efforts have long underscored the need for income-based solutions to food insecurity and has recently resolved on 06-24 Household Food Insecurity; and
WHEREAS when food insecurity results in early childhood malnutrition, infants and young children may experience growth faltering, and compromised health2; and
WHEREAS food prices including the price of infant formula have increased over the past year3,4; and
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts amplify the efforts of the Ontario Dietitians in Public Health and Food Allergy Canada by asking the Provincial government to safeguard healthy growth and development among families most impacted by food insecurity and health inequities, by:
i) Assessing the adequacy of the Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Nutritional Allowance and the Special Diet Allowance to ensure families reliant on Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program can afford the products they need to adequately nourish their infants.
ii) Expanding the Ontario Drug Benefit to include specialized infant formulas for families whose children (0-24 months) have a medical diagnosis* requiring strict avoidance of standard soy and milk proteins.
* Medical diagnosis can include an IgE mediated food allergy and/or a non-IgE mediated food allergy, such as food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), food protein-induced enteropathy (FPE), allergic proctocolitis (AP), eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and several others. Due to the variability in clinical presentation and lack of validated diagnostic tests, a diagnosis relies on a detailed medical history, physical examination, and a trial elimination of the suspected food allergen.
AND FURTHER THAT the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts continues to advocate for income-related policies to reduce household food insecurity, especially for households with children where prevalence of food insecurity is highest.
CARRIED
1 Food Insecurity Policy Research (PROOF). New Data on Household Food Insecurity in 2023 [webpage online]. Accessed May 2, 2024, from: https://proof.utoronto.ca/2024/new-data-on-household-food-insecurity-in-2023/
2 Martins, V. J. B., Toledo Florêncio, T. M. M., Grillo, L. P., Do Carmo P. Franco, M., Martins, P. A., Clemente, A. P. G., Santos, C. D. L., Vieira, M. de F. A., & Sawaya, A. L. (2011). Long-Lasting Effects of Undernutrition. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 8(6), 1817–1846. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8061817
3 Statistics Canada. Consumer Price Index, February 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023 from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230321/dq230321a-eng.pdf
4 Statistics Canada. Monthly Average Retail Prices for Selected Products. Retrieved March 19 2024 from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1810024501&pickMembers%5B0%5D=1.6&cubeTimeFrame.startMonth=01&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2022&cubeTimeFrame.endMonth=12&cubeTimeFrame.endYear=2023&referencePeriods=20220101%2C20231201
This item was last modified on May 23, 2024