Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank, speaks about the health costs of hunger at the Statehouse on Tuesday, Feb. 13. (Photo Courtesy Greater Boston Food Bank)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- A new study conducted by Children's Healthwatch and the Greater Boston Food Bank puts a high price tag on the cost of hunger in the Commonwealth.
The study, released Tuesday, found that the estimated health-related costs associated with food insecurity in Massachusetts totaled around 2.4 million dollars a year.
Catherine D'Amato, president of the Greater Boston Food Bank, told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe that the study connected food insecurity to expensive chronic health issues.
"It's a staggering number when you connect food insecurity to health, and you can see the connectivity to chronic diseases, perhaps like diabetes, arthritis, and poor health," she said. "But now, we have data that unequivocally shows they are connected."
The report recommends that doctors and health care providers routinely screen patients for food insecurity.
It also recommends that high poverty schools institute breakfast-after-the-bell programs.
Hear more from D'Amato below.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports