What is hunger?

Summary: This activity teaches students the definition of hunger, food insecurity and food security. Students will read and discuss quotations about hunger.

Time: 10 to 15 minutes

Age: Eight to adult

Materials: Flip chart and markers
Quotes about hunger

Preparation: Write the definition of hunger, the definition of food security and quotations about hunger on a flip chart

Group size: Five to 30

Procedure:

1. Ask students to define hunger. Write their ideas on the flip chart.

2. Read quotes about hunger and ask the following questions. What physical effects did the person experience? What mental and emotional effects were experienced? Have you ever experienced something like that? Were you surprised by the descriptions you heard?

3. After a short discussion refer to the definition of hunger below. Compare the definition below to the ideas of the group. Discuss all the definitions of hunger. Ask group members to imagine what it would be like to face hunger consistently.

4. Introduce the definition of Food Security. Tell the students to reflect on it and to connect it to the definition of hunger.

Other Details:

Definitions:

Hunger: A condition in which people do not get enough food to provide the nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water) for fully productive and active lives.

The uneasy or painful sensation caused by lack of food. The recurrent and involuntary lack of access to food.

Food Insecurity: limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways

Food Security: Access by all people at all times to enough food for an active healthy life. At a minimum this includes the ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods and the assured ability to acquire personally acceptable foods in a socially acceptable way.