Food insecurity or the lack of proper nutrition, is not an issue that plagues Jamaica alone. It is a worldwide problem. We have seen evidence of this in countries like the United States, Canada and others with much larger populations and economies. This phenomenon, however, tends to adversely affect smaller countries, which are already negatively impacted by high rates of unemployment and the lack of adequate financial resources. Poor nutrition is one of the chief attributes associated with heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and a number of other illnesses. It affects people of various age groups, and adversely impacts the overall economy.
Food scarcity has become a serious threat in Jamaica. Food is a basic human need, and in food-insecure households, the need for food competes with the need for other basic human necessities such as medication, housing and other essentials. As food budgets are stretched, they have become barriers to adopting nutritious diets, which makes following dietary guidelines a challenge for many people. This is a top, public health priority for the nation as a whole.