Promoting Food Security Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Position Paper of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life. While there is a lengthy body of literature examining food insecurity among children, food insecurity among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) has been relatively understudied. The literature demonstrates that AYAs experiencing food insecurity have poorer physical, mental, and psychosocial health outcomes than their peers, which may persist into adulthood. As AYAs reach reproductive maturity, those experiencing food insecurity are more likely to have children who are also poorly nourished, perpetuating intergenerational poor nutrition and its associated health and socioeconomic costs. In this position paper, Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) recommends actions that healthcare professionals can take to achieve a goal of universal food security among AYAs. As SAHM strives to promote the optimal health of AYAs around the world, the positions in this paper affirm SAHM's commitment to promoting food security for all AYAs.