Food Insecurity: Closer to Home Than We Think

Essence Forbes 500 Cities, Awareness, General, Uncategorized

Food Insecurity are found virtually everywhere across the globe. Even the most unpopulated areas have a variation of food deserts. Food insecurity is not having access to sufficient food to meet one’s needs due to social or economic reasons. It can be with or without hunger. In 2019, it was estimated that about 18.8 million people in the United States live in low income and low access areas where they are up to 10 miles away from the closest grocery store. Of course, when you think about food deserts your thoughts may immediately go to the South or the Midwest, where there are areas with towns being up an hour or more from major cities. But, food deserts are found throughout the country. Here in Delaware, there are food deserts scattered across the state – sometimes just a zipcode change and a walk away from a bustling hub of growth 

 

Delaware is small, yes, but we still face big problems. As of 2023, about 1 in 8 people in Delaware face food insecurity. This is important because not having access to nutritious food, it can lead to chronic diseases such as but not limited to:

  • Heart Disease
  • Stroke
  • Hypertension
  • Diabetes
  • Heart Attack

In 2024, the Delaware Grocery Initiative was signed into law to help increase the financial support for healthy food resources in food desert areas. Within the last month there have been grants distributed to 22 local grocery stores to help combat food insecurity. 

 

Food Bank of America, though with just one location in Delaware, has a presence throughout the state. You can find their information here on our website. Upcoming events that are being held are their second annual The Farmer and The Chef. Find out more about this event, visit their website.

 

For more information about the data about what Diabetes and Hypertension looks like in Delaware, find it on our website as well. 

 

Resources:

 

Feeding America. (2025). Map the Meal Gap: Overall executive summary. Feeding America. https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/map-the-meal-gap/overall-executive-summary

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. (2025). Food Access Research Atlas: Documentation. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/documentation#comparisons

Delaware Public Media. (2025, July 9). Delaware Grocery Initiative awards $250,000 in grants to battle food insecurity. https://www.delawarepublic.org/politics-government/2025-07-09/delaware-grocery-initiative-awards-250-000-in-grants-to-battle-food-insecurity

Feeding America. (2025). Hunger in Delaware. Feeding America. https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/delaware

 

Renal Disease and Racial/Ethnic Disparities

Kate Smith, MD, MPH Uncategorized

In the United States, renal disease does not affect everyone the same. Minority populations historically have higher rates of underlying causes that increase the risk for developing kidney disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Other factors- such as access to affordable healthcare and racial discrimination in housing, education, food, and employment- also play a role in these disparities.

 

African Americans

African Americans are more at risk for kidney failure than any other race in the United States. On average, more than 1 in 3 kidney failure patients living in the United States are African American. Similarly, African Americans with diabetes develop kidney failure more often than whites with kidney failure.

 

Hispanics

Diabetes is the primary cause of kidney failure in patients, accounting for nearly 40% of all cases. Unfortunately, Hispanics are significantly more likely to be diagnoses with diabetes than whites, and it is estimated that 1 in 8 Hispanics has the disease.

 

Native Americans

Similarly to the Hispanic population, Native Americans are nearly twice as likely to develop kidney failure, and also twice as likely to die from diabetes than white individuals. Some experts attribute this to the fact that 1 in 3 adult Native Americans have high blood pressure, and another 1 in 3 are uninsured.

 

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders tend to get diabetes significantly less than other racial and ethnic groups. Despite this, there are specific populations at higher risk of developing diabetes and renal disease. Native Hawaiians and Filipinos in Hawaii die from diabetes 6 times and 3 times more than whites, respectively.

 

Additional Resources on Race/Ethnicity in Renal Disease

  • https://www.kidneyfund.org/all-about-kidneys/risk-factors/raceethnicity-kidney-disease-riskfactors#:~:text=African%20Americans%20are%20more%20at,failure%20in%20the%20United%20States.
  • https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/minorities-KD
  • https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/whats-behind-racial-disparities-in-kidney-disease-2021020321842
  • https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2020/the-racial-inequities-of-kidney-disease

Know the Signs and Symptoms of Stroke

Kate Smith, MD, MPH Uncategorized

If you are experiencing or witnessing someone experiencing a stroke, every second matters. The faster a stroke patient receives treatment, the greater the chances of no or minimal disability or death. (American Stroke Association)

The following information is taken directly from the CDC:

Signs and Symptoms of Stroke

  • Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
  • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
  • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
  • Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

If you are witnessing someone with stroke symptoms, act F.A.S.T by acting the potential stroke victim the following questions:

F: Face – Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A: Arms – Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S: Speech – Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?

T: Time – If you see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away.

Note the time when any symptoms first appear. This information helps health care providers determine the best treatment.

Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you. Call 9-1-1 for an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room.