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Lack of food is one of the factors that generates anxiety and anguish, affecting many people’s mental health. White January, a month dedicated to mental health, was established by law in Brazil in 2023.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But how is food insecurity measured in Brazil? Nutritionist and sanitarian Osiyall\u00ea Rodrigues, technical assistant in the Projects area of the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger in Brazil, explains.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Brazil has a Brazilian food insecurity scale. It consists of a few questions that the head of household answers to describe their access to food. These are questions that assess whether or not the person is worried about eating the food at any given time, and whether they stopped eating to feed someone else in the family, for example. The answers are scored and a scale identifies whether there is mild, moderate or severe food insecurity, the latter being considered a state of hunger.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Food insecurity in Brazil mainly affects the black population, especially single black women who need to provide for their children; and traditional populations, such as indigenous people, quilombolas and riverside dwellers, who often lose the right to land for planting and food production due to some kind of environmental problem, or are located in a conflict region. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But, according to Osiyall\u00ea, food insecurity can affect the mental health of anyone in social vulnerability. \u2018If we think of heads of household, adults, without food to eat, it creates constant worry. Food insecurity is a multi-sectoral problem. To feed a family, you need a job or a source of income. N<\/span>ot being able to feed your children creates anxiety and can lead to depression, combined with other factors,\u2019 he said. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n