Over 50% with Severe Mental Illness in the North Have Food Insecurity

This is considerably higher than the national average of 18%.

Also known as food poverty, food insecurity is the lack of financial resources needed to ensure that a person has reliable access to enough food to meet their dietary, nutritional and social needs.

The research, involving Newcastle University, was the first of its kind in the UK and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Experts worked with people who have lived experience of SMI, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and related psychoses.

Health and care inequalities

The aim of the research was to learn more about their experience of food insecurity and find out how people living with SMI can be supported to access healthy, affordable food.

The results showed the prevalence of food insecurity in the North of England, with 50.4% of the sample revealing they had experienced it.

Dr Steph Scott, Lecturer in Public Health and Qualitative Methods at Newcastle University, said: “This research lays bare stark and tangible impacts faced by those in the North of England as a result of health and care inequalities.

“It is incredibly exciting to see the recommendations from this project built upon within a new Programme Grant, by working in partnership with social supermarkets across Middlesbrough.”

The North West had the highest rate of food insecurity, followed closely by the North East and Humber.

The findings also showed that food insecurity in this population is often a long-rooted experience, including instances where it has been within families for generations.

The study lasted 18 months and recruited more than 130 people from the North East, North West, North Cumbria and Yorkshire and Humber. It included a survey and interviews led by people with lived experience of SMI.

The research was hosted by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust in collaboration with Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health (Teesside University and Newcastle University) and Equally Well UK (a collaborative hosted by the Centre for Mental Health).

Jo Smith, consultant dietitian (clinical academic) for Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust and Teesside University, said: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, people with SMI told us they were struggling to access enough food.

“We heard stories of people wanting to stay in hospital for longer because they would not be able to eat when they return home.

“One reason that people with SMI struggle to access healthy food is they don’t always have the skills, equipment, knowledge and/or motivation to prepare a meal from fresh ingredients.

“We know that food insecurity can lead to a range of additional health problems and people living with SMI are at particularly high risk of experiencing food insecurity.

“A particular concern is that people with children were far more likely to have food insecurity, and one person told us that their friend had to sell electrical items so they could feed their children.”