Aim: To report an analysis of the concept of food insecurity in order to (a) propose a theoretical model of food insecurity useful to nursing; and (b) discuss its implications for nursing practice, nursing research, and health promotion.
Background: A total of 48 million Americans are food insecure. As food insecurity is associated with multiple negative health effects, nursing intervention is warranted.
Design: Concept analysis.
Data sources: A literature search was conducted in May 2014 in Scopus and MEDLINE using the exploded term "food insecur*." No year limit was placed. Government websites and popular media were searched to ensure a full understanding of the concept.
Review methods: Iterative analysis, using the Walker and Avant method.
Results: Food insecurity is defined by uncertain ability or inability to procure food, inability to procure enough food, being unable to live a healthy life, and feeling unsatisfied. A proposed theoretical model of food insecurity, adapted from the Socio-Ecological Model, identifies three layers of food insecurity (individual, community, society), with potential for nursing impact at each level.
Conclusion: Nurses must work to fight food insecurity. There exists a potential for nursing impact that is currently unrealized. Nursing impact can be guided by a new conceptual model, Food Insecurity Within the Nursing Paradigm.
Keywords: Concept analysis; conceptual model; food insecurity; nursing.
© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.