Household Food Security in the United States

History of the Food Security Measurement Project 1990 NMRR Act recommends a standardized mechanism for defining and obtaining data on the prevalence of food insecurity 1992 USDA staff review existing research 1994 USDA and DHHS sponsor conference on Food Security Measurement and Research 1995 Current Population Survey of US Census Bureau includes Food Security Measurement scale 1996-present Annual Surveys, ERS assumes leadership, others encouraged to use FSMS 2006 Release of IOM report, “Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure.”

Definitions of Food Security Before 2006

Nutrition Security The provision of an environment that encourages and motivates society to make food choices consistent with short and long term good health.

Food Security Assess by all people at all times to sufficient food for an active and healthy life. Food security includes at a minimum: the ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, and an assured ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.

Food Insecurity a household had limited or uncertain availability of food, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways (i.e., without resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging, stealing, or other unusual coping strategies).

Hunger The uneasy or painful sensation caused by a lack of food. Involuntary hunger that results from not being able to afford enough food The recurrent and involuntary lack of access to food May produce malnutrition over time.

“Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure.” (IOM 2006) Recommended that USDA continue to measure and monitor food insecurity regularly in a household survey Affirmed the appropriateness of the general methodology currently used to measure food insecurity Suggested several ways in which the methodology might be refined (contingent on confirmatory research). Research on these issues is currently underway at ERS

Changes in Definitions – IOM 2006 “Food insecurity—a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food. “Hunger is an individual-level physiological condition that may result from food insecurity - should refer to a potential consequence of food insecurity that, because of prolonged, involuntary lack of food, results in discomfort, illness, weakness, or pain that goes beyond the usual uneasy sensation." To measure hunger in this sense would require collection of more detailed and extensive information on physiological experiences of individual household members than could be accomplished effectively in the context of the CPS.

2006, New Definitions

2006, Food Security Continuum High food security—Households had no problems, or anxiety about, consistently accessing adequate food. Marginal food security—Households had problems at times, or anxiety about, accessing adequate food, but the quality, variety, and quantity of their food intake were not substantially reduced. Low food security—Households reduced the quality, variety, and desirability of their diets, but the quantity of food intake and normal eating patterns were not substantially disrupted. Very low food security—At times during the year, eating patterns of one or more household members were disrupted and food intake reduced because the household lacked money and other resources for food.

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/FoodSecurity/trends.htm

2005 Survey, VL Food Security (4.4 million households) 98 percent reported having worried that their food would run out before they got money to buy more. 96 percent reported that the food they bought just did not last and they did not have money to get more. 94 percent reported that they could not afford to eat balanced meals. 96 percent reported that an adult had cut the size of meals or skipped meals because there was not enough money for food; 86 percent reported that this had occurred in 3 or more months. 44 percent reported having lost weight because they did not have enough money for food. 31 percent reported that an adult did not eat for a whole day because there was not enough money for food; 22 percent reported that this had occurred in 3 or more months.

Food Insecurity with Hunger 2002-2004 3.9% 4.3% 11 2003-2005 3.8% 3.9% 30 4.0% 2005-2007 3.5% 34

1999

State-Level Predictors of Food Insecurity and Hunger Among Households With Children, 2005 Used hierarchical modeling to identify contextual dimensions of food insecurity: Availability and accessibility of federal nutrition assistance programs Policies affecting wellbeing of low income families States economic and social characteristics http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/CCR13/

Important Protective Factors Food stamps and summer meals programs Tax policies that support low income families Job opportunities/strong labor market “Robust” relationship between median rent and food insecurity Residential stability and social capital

It’s not just poverty… Some states have high rates of food insecurity, but lower rates of poor families and families headed by a single adult. Propose concept of “excess food insecurity” to determine which states may benefit from strengthening the food security infrastructure.

Why did Washington’s rates improve? Increased participation in federal programs Between 2001 and 2004 there was a 59% increase in food stamp participation. In 2002 56% of eligible families received food stamps; in 2005 68% received food stamps. WA state legislature increased funding for school lunch, breakfast and summer meals