Food Systems and Food Security: A Conceptual Model for Identifying Food System Deficiencies

This research briefly describes a conceptual model of hunger and food insecurity that utilizes integrative conceptual work on food systems, identifying key food subsystems and processes involved in the transformation of environmental inputs into individual and population health outcomes. Our model identifies system and individual-level barriers affecting the primary food subsystems, with emphasis on factors influencing the consumer subsystem that may lead to food insecurity. Focusing on food system vulnerabilities and system-and individual-level barriers influencing the consumer subsystem facilitates a more systematic and organized conceptual framework to guide research, practice, and policy relevant to food systems and food security.