CSPI - Center for Science in the Public Interest
06/17/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/17/2026 14:27
Advocates urge united action to address rising food insecurity
AJPH editorial calls on health and hunger advocates to unite in the fight for a better food system
In a joint call to action, health experts from the Center for Science in the Public Interest and food security experts from Hunger Free America are urging public health and anti-hunger advocates to set aside longstanding divisions and unite to defend food assistance and advance a healthier, more just US food system.
In an editorial published in the American Journal of Public Health, the authors warn that internal disputes risk weakening advocacy efforts at a time when food insecurity has surged and federal leaders are slashing funding for critical food programs.
"With SNAP facing historic cuts and diet-related diseases continuing to claim lives, advocates cannot afford to be divided," said Joelle Johnson, MPH, deputy director at CSPI and lead author. "H.R. 1 clarified shared goals of the nutrition and anti-hunger movements and underscored the urgent need for coordinated action."
The authors note that food insecurity has risen sharply since 2021 and now affects an estimated 48 million people, including 14 million children. They also note that people across income levels struggle to maintain a healthy diet and caution that debates over restricting SNAP purchases distract from more urgent priorities - protecting benefits, increasing purchasing power, and expanding access to nutritious foods.
"People facing hunger want enough food and healthier food - not one or the other," said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America and a co-author. "Unified advocacy is essential to stop further cuts and address the deeper economic and structural drivers of hunger and poor health."
The joint CSPI-Hunger Free America editorial calls for protecting and strengthening SNAP, improving nutrition security through data and evaluation, holding the food industry accountable, and centering the voices of people with lived experience of food insecurity.
"Together, public health and anti-hunger advocates can be far more effective against powerful industry interests and political attacks on the safety net," said Peter Lurie, MD, MPH, president of CSPI and co-author. "Division only serves those who benefit from maintaining the status quo."
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