{"id":7815,"date":"2025-02-19T12:20:43","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T12:20:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodwastereport.leket.org\/?page_id=7815"},"modified":"2025-12-01T09:31:47","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T09:31:47","slug":"environmental-impacts-and-costs-of-food-loss-and-waste","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/foodwastereport.leket.org\/en\/environmental-impacts-and-costs-of-food-loss-and-waste\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Insecurity in the World and in Israel – Health and Economic Impacts"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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NIS 5.8 Billion <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Additional Healthcare Burden of Food Insecurity in Israel<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Rescuing just 20% of the food lost and wasted in Israel would be enough to close the national food-insecurity gap.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFood production utilizes resources such as land, water, fertilizers, chemicals, and energy and is responsible for about one-fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions in the world (57). Many of the resources required to grow and produce food in the modern era are non-renewable, and their use potentially damages the quality of water, soil, air, and biodiversity (58).\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Global Food Insecurity<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0<\/p>

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations, whose definitions are also used by Israel\u2019s National Insurance Institute, food security is achieved when the following four criteria are met:<\/p>

  1. Availability:<\/strong> There must be a sufficient quantity and quality of food available.<\/li>
  2. Access:<\/strong> Households must have the economic, social, and physical means to obtain enough food to meet their dietary needs.<\/li>
  3. Utilization:<\/strong> At the individual level, this includes proper nutrition, dietary diversity, and safe food consumption, supported by access to sanitation, clean water, and awareness of proper food use.<\/li>
  4. Stability:<\/strong> Reliable, consistent access to adequate food across all levels and over time and not at risk from sudden shocks.<\/li><\/ol>

    Food security is not only about preventing hunger but also about ensuring food quality. The right to food is not measured solely in caloric intake but also in nutritional value. Economic access to a healthy food basket – one that provides essential nutrients for physical, mental, and cognitive well-being – is a fundamental requirement for achieving food security.<\/strong><\/p>

    The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, a report published in 2022 by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in collaboration with the WHO, presents estimates of food insecurity rates in countries around the world. The report\u2019s findings include indicators showing that food security around the world has deteriorated since 2020.<\/p>

    Long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, disruptions in global supply chains, the economic impact of the Russia-Ukraine war (particularly on grain production), and extreme climate events have all contributed to rising food prices. As a result, more people worldwide are unable to afford a healthy diet.<\/p>

    Data from the FAO shows that food insecurity in Israel is among the most severe in the OECD.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Food Insecurity in Israel<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    According to the Israel\u2019s National Insurance Institute Poverty Report, published in January 2023, 16.2% of households in Israel experienced food insecurity in 2021[1]<\/a>. Of these, 8.2% faced severe food insecurity, while 8% experienced moderate or mild food insecurity. The report also indicates that for three consecutive years, Israel has ranked as the second-highest in poverty rates among OECD countries and fifth among countries in the GINI index in terms of income inequality.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    [1]<\/a> The estimates within the National Insurance Institute’s Poverty Report, on which this Report\u2019s methodology is based, should be distinguished from the Food Security Report, published on November 24.<\/p>

    The National Insurance Institute’s Poverty Report is based on multi-year income data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, which is official, comprehensive, and consistent, therefore allowing for comparisons between periods. The Food Security Report is based on an independent survey by the National Insurance Institute’s Research Administration, which aims to measure actual nutritional gaps.<\/p>

    This is a separate, complex index, which also measures food distress among households not officially defined as below the poverty line, and therefore presents higher rates. In addition, this index is less suitable for multi-year comparisons due to methodological changes that have occurred since 2021.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    According to OECD data, which measures poverty rates after taxes and transfers (based on a poverty line set at 50% of median disposable income), Israel has the highest poverty rate among OECD countries, though its rate is similar to that of the United States.<\/p>

    The data also indicates that Israel ranks among the countries with the highest income inequality, according to the Gini Index, a measure of economic disparity within countries. Israel places fifth after the Czech Republic, Mexico, Turkey, and the United States.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Income inequality remains one of the key challenges facing the Israeli economy, with food insecurity being one of its most direct consequences.<\/p>

    According to the 2022 Global Food Security Index published by The Economist, Israel ranks 24th among OECD countries in terms of food security, a drop of 12 places compared to the previous year. In terms of food expenditure as a share of private consumption, Israel ranks sixth among OECD countries.<\/p>

    In our assessment, Israel\u2019s unusually high level of food insecurity stems from two primary factors: the relatively high proportion of household spending on food compared to overall private consumption, and the absence of a comprehensive national policy on food insecurity, marked by a lack of coordinated oversight and dedicated budgets.[1]<\/a><\/p>

    In Israel, food accounts for approximately 18% of private household consumption\u2014one of the highest rates in the OECD. For example, a household spending around NIS 20,000 (USD $5,400) per month on various goods would allocate about NIS 3,600 (USD $970) to food.[2]<\/a> Among food-insecure populations, this share is even higher. For households in the lowest income quintile, food expenses exceed 50% of net income, compared to just 9% in the highest quintile.<\/p>

    Given this context, food rescue and redistribution policies targeting vulnerable populations serve as an effective welfare strategy in Israel. Food rescue efforts that focus on fruit and vegetables as well as other healthy staples such as olive oil, tahini, and legumes, can help ensure access to nutritious food for food-insecure populations, supporting physical, mental, and cognitive functioning. The National Food Security Framework, published in 2025 by the Ministry of Welfare and the National Council for Food Security, highlights the link between poverty and food insecurity and recommends a range of measures to strengthen social resilience through improved food access.[3]<\/a><\/p>

    To assess the effectiveness of food rescue as a policy tool for improving food security in Israel, this Report draws on the methodology developed by Chernichovsky and Regev.[4]<\/a> This approach defines normative food expenditure as an expenditure that remains constant even when a household\u2019s income increases, thus enabling the impact of food rescue to be measured precisely.<\/p>

    In a comparison of per capita food spending[5]<\/a> among lower-income groups to the normative benchmark of approximately NIS 990 (USD $267) per month. The findings show that in the two lowest percentiles (based on standardized per capita consumption), food expenditure reaches only about half of the normative level.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    [1]<\/a> Food Security in Israel: Mapping Gaps and Implementation Responsibilities, 2023<\/p>

    [2]<\/a> Private Consumption Expenditure on Food, Beverages, and Tobacco, Including Meals Outside the Home, CBS, 2021<\/p>

    [3]<\/a> National Food Security Framework, 2025<\/p>

    [4]<\/a> Food Expenditure Patterns in Israel, Taub Center, 2014<\/p>

    [5]<\/a> Excluding meals outside the home, alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Nutrition, Food Security, and Health<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    \u00a0<\/p>

    The Israeli Ministry of Health\u2019s national dietary guidelines[1]<\/a> recommend a diet that follows the principles of the Mediterranean diet. This approach prioritizes a wide variety of mostly unprocessed plant-based foods, including vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, olive oil, nuts, and seeds, alongside moderate consumption of animal-based foods such as eggs, poultry, fish, and dairy products. The guidelines also strongly advise limiting ultra-processed foods, which often contain extracted ingredients or additives, due to their strong link to obesity and chronic disease.[2]<\/a> These guidelines are outlined in the Food Rainbow\u2014a national framework that highlights the broader health, environmental, social, and economic benefits of a healthy, balanced diet.<\/p>

    However, historically, public policy efforts to address food insecurity have focused primarily on ensuring adequate caloric intake, with little attention to diet quality. This calorie-centered approach often overlooks the nutritional composition, diversity, and health value of the food consumed. It is essential to recognize that food insecurity spans a spectrum of severity. Accurately identifying these levels is critical for developing effective policies and tailored interventions.<\/p>

    At the global level, public policy aimed at combating food insecurity has been successful in reducing the prevalence of undernutrition worldwide.<\/p>

    However, according to the WHO and the FAO, despite its success in lowering global undernutrition rates, this policy has not promoted healthy nutrition. In fact in some cases, it has been counterproductive, by shaping food systems in a way that has made the cost of a healthy food basket up to five times higher than that of a basic food basket.[3]<\/a> The latter, which consists of non-perishable or year-round available foods with a high calorie-to-cost ratio, provides the necessary daily caloric intake but lacks the variety and quantity of essential nutrients needed for proper nutrition.<\/p>

    In other words, global policy has focused on ensuring adequate daily caloric intake rather than providing a diverse and nutritious diet. Fruit and vegetables are a cornerstone of a healthy diet, as they provide essential nutrients such as vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. When it comes to nutrition, variety matters just as much as quantity: a diverse intake of fruit and vegetables has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, help prevent certain cancers, improve digestive and eye health, and support healthy blood sugar levels.[4]<\/a><\/p>

    A healthy diet is a key factor in preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease, and depression. Data from the Israeli National Program for Quality Indicators in Community Healthcare indicate that the prevalence of diabetes, obesity, impaired GFR, and other health conditions increases as socioeconomic status declines.[5]<\/a><\/p>

    This connection between diet, chronic illness, and inequality mirrors global trends. NCDs are the leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for 75% of all fatalities\u2014around 41 million deaths annually, including 18 million among people under the age of 70.[6]<\/a> Of these premature deaths, an estimated 82% occur in low- and middle-income countries.[7]<\/a><\/p>

    Globally, an estimated 35.4% of the population\u2014about 2.83 billion people\u2014were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2022. [8]<\/a> \u00a0This marks a slight improvement from 2021, when 36.4% (2.88 billion) faced the same circumstance, representing an annual decrease of approximately 50.1 million people. In Israel in particular, a national study found that two-thirds of families with children could not afford the cost of a healthy diet,[9]<\/a> highlighting the extent to which economic barriers shape dietary patterns even in high-income countries.<\/p>

    As a result, food-insecure households often rely on low-cost, nutrient-poor foods that are high in calories but low in essential nutrients. This dietary compromise significantly increases the risk of a wide range of health problems, including fatigue, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, anemia, birth defects, preterm birth, and obesity.[10]<\/a><\/p>

    Food insecurity also contributes to a progressive decline in mental health, leading to psychological distress, depression, and anxiety. It is associated with inadequate medical care for children, reduced overall well-being, and cognitive impairments that affect learning, memory, and reasoning. Poor nutrition during critical developmental periods, both in utero and in early childhood, can cause developmental delays beginning in infancy and continuing into preschool years. These early challenges increase the risk of poor academic performance, lack of concentration in school, and early school dropout.<\/p>

    These cognitive and developmental effects often manifest in broader emotional and behavioral difficulties.[11]<\/a> Children growing up in food-insecure households are more likely to experience lower psychosocial functioning and exhibit behavioral issues such as aggression, hyperactivity, or apathy, compared to children from food-secure environments.<\/p>

    Beyond the individual and family level, the broader public health impact of food insecurity is evident in its contribution to the global burden of NCDs, which are recognized as one of the greatest challenges to sustainable development. As part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), world leaders have pledged to develop national responses aimed at reducing premature mortality from NCDs by one-third by 2030, through both prevention and treatment (SDG Target 3.4). The WHO plays a central role in leading and coordinating international efforts to achieve this goal.[12]<\/a><\/p>

    From a broader perspective, the high cost of food relative to disposable income poses a significant barrier to maintaining a healthy diet, in both high-income and low-income countries. In light of this, rescuing and redistributing nutritious food to food-insecure populations can play a vital role in ensuring proper nutrition. By improving dietary quality among those most at risk, this approach not only promotes better health outcomes but also contributes to reducing healthcare expenditures at the national level.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    [1]<\/a> Dietary Guidelines Document<\/a><\/p>

    [2]<\/a> Israeli Ministry of Health website<\/a><\/p>

    [3]<\/a> Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022, FAO \u00a0<\/p>

    [4]<\/a> Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health<\/p>

    [5]<\/a> The National Program for Quality Indicators in Community Healthcare<\/p>

    [6]<\/a> \u00a0Noncommunicable Diseases Fact Sheet. <\/em>(2022) World Health Organization, Noncommunicable diseases 2024<\/a><\/p>

    [7]<\/a> Noncommunicable Diseases 2024<\/p>

    [8]<\/a> The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World<\/a><\/p>

    [9]<\/a> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s13584-025-00675-7<\/a><\/p>

    [10]<\/a> Desrochers (2015); Tzava (2008); Niral et al. (2003); Dahl & Olson (1999)<\/p>

    [11]<\/a> Barajas 2007; Carter, Krus, Blakely, & Collings, 2011; Drennen, et al., 2019; Loopstra, et al., 2015; Muldoon, Duff, Fielden, & Anema, 2013; Pettoello-Mantovani et al., 2018; Jacob et al., 2008<\/p>

    [12]<\/a> Noncommunicable Diseases 2024<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    The Health Costs of Food Insecurity<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    While consuming a healthy food basket, particularly one rich in fruit and vegetables, can be up to five times more expensive than a basic food basket, the long-term costs of an unhealthy diet may be even greater.<\/p>

    A growing body of research and forecasts from around the world highlights the significant health and economic consequences of poor nutrition, affecting both public healthcare systems and individuals:<\/p>