Turning knowledge into action : measurement that makes a difference “This workshop is an opportunity to share research plans and report on progress. It is intended to ensure that not only do we gain the best possible understanding of food poverty but also that this learning is useful to those seeking change, from local initiatives to national policy makers. The session will be kicked off by updates and insights into research currently underway as well as the proposals and aspirations of government, public bodies, major civil society stakeholders and community initiatives.”

Identifying a measure of household food insecurity suitable for the Scottish context: Research update Community Food and Health Scotland Annual Networking Meeting Edinburgh October 26th, 2016

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT RURAL AFFAIRS, FOOD AND ENVIRONMENT PORTFOLIO Strategic Research Programme Theme 3 Food, Health and Wellbeing Research Deliverable 3.3.2 Ensuring Food Security Flora Douglas Liz Dinnie David Watts

Key Drivers Government, policy and civic concern associated with trends in emergency food aid (bank) use and food poverty - Scottish Food Commission - Short Life Working Group on Food Poverty Scottish Government Food and Drink Policy The Nature and Extent of Food Poverty/Household Insecurity in Scotland’ (Douglas et al) for NHS Health Scotland (May 2015)

Questions arising I The UK is considered food secure at the macro level, but it is not known or is poorly understood: how many people are food insecure at the household level in the UK or Scotland? which subgroups or communities may be more vulnerable to household food insecurity (HFI) than others? to what degree HFI is being experienced by such groups and communities, and how long they are exposed to it? what the direct health or social consequences of HFI are? International evidence indicates that food bank use statistics (used by some policy makers as an indirect measure of Household Food Insecurity (HFI)) is a very poor indicator of the nature and extent of HFI in the wider community.

Questions arising II Different (contested) ideas and responses have emerged in recent times with the aim of and aspiration to address HFI. These include food banks, food rescue/food waste reduction schemes, low cost community retailing, community gardening and Grow-your-own Little is known about the effectiveness or impact (positive or negative) those responses have in alleviating HFI, or, their impact on health and well-being, in the UK. NB. Aside from mental health benefits associated with gardening, and participating as a volunteer in some of these responses/programmes.

Household food insecurity: A conceptual framework of its causes and consequences Considering this conceptual model of HFI ….our research has established that much public health research in Scotland to date has focused on dietary quality and quantity consumptions trends (affordability to a limited extent) …and has largely ignored these other important dimensions and determinants   and with it ..the possibility of identifying the most effective means to address the issue and its impacts. Fram et al 2015

Household food insecurity: A conceptual framework of its causes and consequences ? ? ? Considering this conceptual model of HFI ….our research has established that much public health research in Scotland to date has focused on dietary quality and quantity consumptions trends (affordability to a limited extent) …and has largely ignored these other important dimensions and determinants   and with it ..the possibility of identifying the most effective means to address the issue and its impacts. ? ? Fram et al 2015

RESAS Brief - Research Deliverable 3.3.2 “This RD (research deliverable) should involve the identification of the key factors that influence food insecurity of different societal sectors and communities in Scotland and how this relates to their health and well-being…..including the role of primary food production. Work should cover all aspects of food security (in both rural and urban settings) as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) including choice. Studies on local food production should include non-commercial activities such as Grow-your-Own and community gardening. This work should lead to advice on how food insecurity and inequality can be improved at the local level”

Food (In)security: Working definitions Food security “when all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active life” UN Food and Agricultural Organisation Food insecurity ‘The inability to acquire or consume an adequate quality or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways, or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so.’ Dowler (2003)

Research guiding principles This research is underpinned by a requirement/commitment to: co-production with policy, practitioner, civil society and academic stakeholders. develop scale-appropriate policy principles, tools and advice aimed at achieving food security for all, at the community and household level in Scotland. provide Scottish Govt, policy makers, the public health community and the public with the means to generate a better picture of extent and experience of household food insecurity in Scotland, and, to ask and answer questions about the impact that experience has on health and well-being. generate data that can inform the development and evaluation of public policy and community-led interventions and programmes aimed at addressing household food security in Scotland.

RD 3.3.2 Research Objectives Our research is setting out to determine: who is affected by household food insecurity (HFI) in Scotland and the degree to which particular population sub-groups are affected by it; (O1 and O2) the ways in which HFI is experienced and managed by individual households and communities identified as most badly affected; (O3) existing and potential community level responses and resources aimed at making individuals, and households within their midst food secure; (O3) the role that locally and self-produced food plays, or might play, in mitigating HFI amongst communities where it is found to exist (i.e. is concerned with questions of their effectiveness) (O4) maps of the range and availability of culturally acceptable foods (O5). The entire programme runs for five years. However at this stage we have been advised and have worked up research plans on the basis of a two year time frame, with the final three years to be decided during year two in the context of knowing what and who the anticipated further UK Govt spending cuts will have in the subsequent years

Objective 1 Identifying household food insecurity measure (Year 1) O1.1 Formation of the Experience of Household Food Insecurity (EHFI) steering group, with ongoing engagement O1.2 Scoping study to define literature review that will investigate existing household food insecurity measures currently or previously used in high income countries (End of Aug 2016) O1.3 Literature review (Paper presenting the results due End of Jan 2017). O1.4 Policy briefing paper outlining the components of the EHFI index for field testing and validation arising from the literature review and discussion of the findings for the EHFI steering group. (End March 2017)

Dimensions of Food Insecurity Empirical research has established HFI is a dynamic concept that includes both nutritional, and non-nutritional aspects that are associated with psycho- social aspects of daily living.   Accordingly it is variously experienced …. from anxiety and uncertainty about being able to oneself and the family, through to involuntary dietary restriction and if unchecked … hunger. Dimensions of Food Insecurity

Objective 2 Field testing the HFI measure (Year 2) O2.1 Pilot testing EFHI (Interim report due end of September 2017). O2.2 Validation study – which would take the form of an additional small sub study that would test the measure in the field. Policy briefing paper containing a summary of the results of the EHFI field testing, validation study and recommendations regarding means of data collection at the local and national levels (March 2018) NB. Oral debriefing at stages to be determined by steering group

Field work will be qualitative and quantitative and will: Objective 3 Establishing individual and community-level insights into food insecurity, and individual and community level mitigation responses Quantitatively and qualitatively establish the extent to which particular groups within Scottish society perceive themselves to be at risk of, or are currently food insecure – in the context of the research case study areas. Sustained community engagement designed to capture: the complexity of the food choices and food-related decision-making taking trace the connections to local people’s understandings of their health and well-being in the respective case study areas. Field work will be qualitative and quantitative and will: involve a range of people affected by HFI, and with local actors who are working to alleviate it; explore existing local food environments and accessibility; strategies, practices and attitudes of those experiencing HFI and those working to prevent and/or alleviate HFI.

Food trade and consumption RD 3.4 Communities and Well-being RD 3.3.2 Ensuring Food Security: Overview and other Theme 3 Research linkages Objective 3 Lived experiences of HFI management, and the mitigating role and impact of existing and potential community level responses and resources (Case Study Research) Objective 4 Local food growing activities and household-level food insecurity Objective 5 Assessing access to culturally appropriate healthy food Objective 2 Field testing the measure Objective 1 Identification of a measure of household food insecurity RD 3.3.1 Food trade and consumption RD 3.3.3 Local Food RD 3.2.4 Food Culture and Dietary Choice Culture RD 3.4 Communities and Well-being

Turning knowledge into action : measurement that makes a difference “This workshop is an opportunity to share research plans and report on progress. It is intended to ensure that not only do we gain the best possible understanding of food poverty but also that this learning is useful to those seeking change, from local initiatives to national policy makers. The session will be kicked off by updates and insights into research currently underway as well as the proposals and aspirations of government, public bodies, major civil society stakeholders and community initiatives.”