Understanding the Diseases Caused by Food Poverty

January 8, 2026 •

4 min read

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 600 million people globally fall ill after eating contaminated food, and 420,000 die each year. This statistic underscores a dire public health crisis, as food poverty significantly increases vulnerability to these and many other diseases.

Quick Summary

This article details the health risks associated with food poverty, including micronutrient deficiencies, obesity from nutrient-poor diets, and chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. It explains how food insecurity creates a vicious cycle of disease and diminished well-being.

Key Points

Dual Malnutrition: Food poverty causes both undernutrition (stunting, wasting) and nutrient-deficient obesity due to reliance on cheap, processed foods.
Micronutrient Deficiencies: Lack of essential vitamins and minerals like iron, vitamin C, and iodine can lead to conditions such as anemia, scurvy, and cognitive impairment.
Chronic Illnesses: Inconsistent access to nutritious food is a major risk factor for developing chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Mental Health Toll: The stress and anxiety of food insecurity significantly increase the risk of depression, anxiety disorders, and can contribute to eating disorders.
Vicious Cycle: Malnutrition weakens the immune system, making individuals more vulnerable to illness, which in turn worsens their nutritional status.
Child Vulnerability: Children are particularly at risk, with food poverty impacting their growth, cognitive development, and increasing their mortality risk.
Socioeconomic Impacts: The diseases caused by food poverty increase healthcare costs and reduce productivity, perpetuating the cycle of poverty and poor health.

The Dual Burden of Malnutrition: Undernutrition and Obesity

Food poverty does not solely result in starvation or undernutrition. It also creates a dual burden of malnutrition, where individuals can experience both undernourishment and nutrient-deficient obesity. Those with limited financial resources often rely on cheap, energy-dense, and nutrient-poor foods, which can lead to weight gain alongside deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals. This creates a paradox where a person can be overweight or obese yet still be malnourished, predisposing them to a wide range of health issues.

The Impact of Undernutrition

Undernutrition, characterized by a lack of sufficient calories, protein, and other nutrients, has severe and lasting consequences, particularly for children. Conditions include:

Wasting: Low weight-for-height, often a sign of recent and severe weight loss due to lack of food or illness.
Stunting: Low height-for-age, caused by chronic or recurrent undernutrition in early life, leading to delayed physical and cognitive development.
Underweight: Low weight-for-age, indicating either wasting, stunting, or both.
Micronutrient Deficiencies: A lack of vital vitamins and minerals like iron, iodine, and vitamin A, which are critical for proper growth, immune function, and development.

Chronic Diseases Linked to Food Poverty

The reliance on inexpensive, processed foods and the stress associated with food insecurity significantly increase the risk of chronic, noncommunicable diseases.

Cardiovascular Diseases: Unhealthy diets and chronic stress are major risk factors for heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure.
Type 2 Diabetes: High consumption of sugar and unhealthy fats, coupled with poor nutrition, contributes to the development of type 2 diabetes.
Certain Cancers: Poor nutrition and obesity are linked to an increased risk of specific types of cancer.

Table: Nutritional Deficiencies and Associated Diseases


Nutrient Deficiency	Associated Disease(s)	Key Symptoms
Iron	Iron-Deficiency Anemia	Fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, pale skin
Thiamine (Vitamin B1)	Beriberi	Weakness in legs, severe fatigue, swelling, heart failure
Vitamin C	Scurvy	Weakness, fatigue, gum disease, skin haemorrhages
Vitamin D	Rickets (children), Osteomalacia (adults)	Bone pain, muscle weakness, stunted growth in children
Iodine	Goitre, Impaired Cognitive Development	Swelling of the thyroid gland, intellectual impairment
Zinc	Growth Retardation, Weakened Immune System	Slow growth, hair loss, impaired immune function

The Vicious Cycle: Food Poverty, Disease, and Impaired Immunity

Food poverty and disease are entangled in a self-perpetuating cycle. A person with a weak immune system, often caused by malnutrition, is more susceptible to infections and illnesses. For children, repeated bouts of diarrheal diseases, for instance, can lead to further malnutrition, which in turn weakens their immunity even more. For adults, chronic conditions resulting from poor nutrition, such as diabetes, lead to increased healthcare costs, reduced productivity, and further perpetuation of the cycle of poverty and ill-health. The stress and anxiety of not knowing where the next meal will come from also have significant mental and physical tolls, further exacerbating health issues.

Mental Health Consequences of Food Poverty

Beyond physical ailments, food poverty has a profound impact on mental and emotional well-being. The constant stress and anxiety of food insecurity are major contributors to mental health issues.

Anxiety and Depression: The ongoing uncertainty of food access creates significant psychological distress, leading to higher rates of anxiety and depression.
Eating Disorders: The inconsistent availability of food can lead to unhealthy relationships with eating, including binge eating or purging disorders.
Cognitive and Behavioral Issues in Children: Inadequate nutrition during critical developmental stages can negatively affect a child's cognitive function, academic performance, and behavior.

Conclusion

What are the diseases caused by food poverty? As this exploration shows, the issue extends far beyond simple hunger. It creates a complex web of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and diet-related chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, alongside severe mental health consequences. Food poverty traps individuals in a vicious cycle of illness and socioeconomic hardship, with children being particularly vulnerable. Addressing food poverty requires comprehensive solutions that go beyond providing calories to ensure access to a safe, nutritious, and sustainable food supply for all. By understanding the full spectrum of diseases caused by food poverty, we can better target interventions and work toward healthier, more equitable communities.

How to Combat Food Poverty and Its Health Impacts

Strengthening Social Safety Nets: Implementing robust programs that provide financial assistance or food support can directly combat food insecurity.
Improving Food Access: Increasing the availability of affordable, nutritious food in low-income areas, often referred to as 'food deserts,' is crucial.
Promoting Nutrition Education: Educating communities on how to make healthier food choices on a limited budget can improve dietary quality.
Supporting Local Food Systems: Initiatives that support local farmers and community gardens can create more resilient and equitable food systems.
Integrating Health and Food Assistance: Programs that link food assistance with healthcare services can address both nutritional and medical needs simultaneously.

Food insecurity is a solvable problem that requires a multifaceted and compassionate approach to ensure the health and well-being of all members of society.

Frequently Asked Questions

Food poverty is the inability to afford or access a nutritionally adequate diet, while hunger is the physical sensation of wanting food. Food poverty can exist without a person feeling hungry, especially if they are consuming low-quality, energy-dense foods that lead to obesity rather than starvation.

Yes, food poverty can lead to obesity. People with limited budgets often turn to cheap, highly processed, and energy-dense foods that are low in nutrients. This can lead to weight gain and obesity, even while they are malnourished in terms of vitamins and minerals.

Food poverty severely impacts children's physical and cognitive development. Chronic undernutrition can lead to stunting (low height) and wasting (low weight), while micronutrient deficiencies can impair immune function and cognitive abilities.

The constant stress and anxiety associated with food insecurity can cause and worsen mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, social isolation, and eating disorders.

Food poverty increases the risk of chronic diseases because it often forces people to eat unhealthy, low-nutrient diets. This, combined with the stress of food insecurity, can lead to conditions like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

Poor nutrition, especially a lack of essential vitamins and minerals, weakens the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to infections and illnesses. For children, this is a major factor in mortality from common infections.

A 'food desert' is an area where access to affordable, healthy, and fresh food is limited or non-existent, often in low-income neighborhoods. It is a key symptom of food poverty, as residents face geographical barriers to getting a nutritious diet.