The co-occurrence of food insecurity and other hardships in Australia

Abstract

Food insecurity has many causes, including insufficient incomes, competing expenditure needs, and inadequate facilities to store and prepare food. The characteristics that contribute to food insecurity may also contribute to other co-occurring hardships. This article examines people's experiences of food insecurity, poor financial wellbeing, poor physical health and long-term disability, low social support, inadequate economic resources, and housing stress, using 2020 data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey. It finds that food insecurity typically co-occurs with other hardships. Nearly two-thirds of food-insecure Australians experience another hardship, and just under one-third experience multiple other hardships.