Dependent on the context these groups may include children, pregnant or lactating women, indigenous communities, elderly population, farmers, people living in remote areas and people with lower socio-economic status based on education levels and/or income. Conceptually, vulnerable groups can be characterized as those with high risk and low resilience.

With regard to food, vulnerable groups can be divided in three groups:

1. People that don't have access to food (both, no access to food at all and no access to healthy food)
2. People that do have access to food, but not enough knowledge or skills to eat healthy and sustainable food
3. People that do have access to food and enough knowledge and skills but don't make healthy choices

In this definition, vulnerability is more open and it is not only related to pay (except the first group).

Source: Interview with Dirk Masquillier, director of SAAMO Vlaams-Brabant