Food insecurity costs the health system an additional $53 billion a year, according to Dr. Hilary Seligman, senior medical advisor for Feeding America and co-author of a study that looks at the issue state-by-state.
Food insecurity can lead to diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions, all of which are costly to health and the healthcare system.
"What's important to understand is the connection between food insecurity and health," said Seligman, an associate professor at the University of California San Francisco. "When people don't have enough money for food, they use coping strategies, shifting their dietary intake to unhealthy food. It's these coping strategies that are so poor for your health."