1. Addressing Food Insecurity in the North Central Region
Craig Gundersen
University of Illinois
Soybean Industry Endowed Professor of Agricultural Strategy, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics

2. Reasons for Looking at Food Insecurity
Serious consequences
in own right
negative health outcomes
Not completely characterized by income
Policy
a central goal of USDA is to alleviate food insecurity

3. Defining Food Insecurity
A household’s food insecurity status is based on responses to 18 questions in the Core Food Security Module (CFSM)
Examples of questions:
“I worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more”
“Did you or the other adults in your household ever cut the size of your meals or skip meals because there wasn’t enough money for food”
“Were you ever hungry but did not eat because you couldn’t afford enough food”
“Did a child in the household ever not eat for a full day because you couldn’t afford enough food”
Categories
food insecure if have 3 or more affirmative responses
very low food security among children if have 5 or more affirmative responses to child-specific questions

7. Health Consequences Associated with Food Insecurity
Children
birth defects
anemia
lower nutrient intakes
cognitive problems
aggression and anxiety
being hospitalized
being in poorer general health
having asthma
behavioral problems
depression
worse  oral health
Adults
lower nutrient intakes
mental health problems
diabetes
hypertension
hyperlipidemia
poor outcomes on health exams
being in poor or fair health
poor sleep  outcomes
depression
having limitations in activities of daily living

8. Food Insecurity and Health Care Costs
What is the impact of food insecurity on health care costs?
Does this differ by severity of food insecurity?
Data from Canada
matched administrative records from Ontario health care system with food security survey information
67,033 observations between 18 and 64
difficult to do for U.S.
selection issue
lack of health care information to be matched with survey data
Results
differences in health care costs when compared to individuals in fully food secure households
marginally food insecure: 23% higher
moderate food insecure: 49% higher
severely food insecure: 121% higher

9. Food Insecurity and Mortality
What is the impact of food insecurity on mortality?
Does this differ by severity of food insecurity?
Data from Canada
matched administrative records from Ontario health care system with food security survey information
90,368 observations for over age 18
difficult to do for U.S.
lack of mortality information that can be merged with survey data
Results
differences in probability of mortality when compared to individuals in fully food secure households
marginally food insecure: 28% higher
moderate food insecure: 49% higher
severely food insecure: 160% higher

10. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Primary goal is to alleviate hunger
USDA issues food stamps to families (via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards) which can be used in retail food outlets
Benefit levels
function of income and family size
maximum benefit level is $688 for a family of four
average benefit level is about $300 for a family of four
Size of program
serves almost 45 million persons
total cost is about $80 billion per year
Eligibility criteria
gross income test
net income test
asset test

11. Future Research
Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (C-FARE)
established Priorities and Solutions Working Group to address critical needs that can be addressed by agricultural economists, in conjunction with other disciplines
8 areas established
Examples of key questions on food insecurity
How is food insecurity distributed within a household?
How does the food distribution system influence food insecurity?
What types of coping mechanisms do low-income food secure families utilize, and what are the effects of these mechanisms?
Why are the food insecurity rates of American Indians so high?
How can SNAP   more effectively reduce food insecurity?  
What are the effects of private charitable food assistance programs on food insecurity?
What is the causal relationship between food insecurity and health outcomes?