Overview
Food security—access by all people at all times
to enough food for an active, healthy life—is one
requirement for a healthy, well-nourished population.
- In 2006, 89 percent of U.S. households were food secure
throughout the entire year. The remaining households
(10.9 percent) were food insecure at least some time
during that year, essentially unchanged from 11.0 percent in 2005.
- The prevalence of very
low food security was 4.0 percent
of households, also essentially unchanged from 2005 (3.9 percent). In households with very low food security,
eating patterns of one or more household members were
disrupted and their food intake was reduced at times
during the year because the household lacked money and
other resources for food. See more on recent
conditions and trends.
Reports
and articles—ERS plays a leading role in Federal research on food
security in U.S. households and communities. This research
facilitates informed public debate regarding food security,
its impact on the well-being of children, adults, families,
and communities, and its relationship to public policies,
public assistance programs, and the economy.
Data
access and technical support—ERS also provides data access and technical support to social science scholars
to facilitate their research on food security and food
security measurement in U.S. households and communities.
Features
Household Food Security
in the United States, 2006—Eleven percent of U.S. households were food-insecure at some time during the year in 2006. Four percent had very low food security. This report, based
on data from the December 2006 food security survey, provides
the most recent statistics on the food security of U.S.
households as well as how much they spent for food and
the extent to which food-insecure households participated
in Federal and community food assistance programs.
Characteristics of Low-Income Households With Very Low Food Security: An Analysis of the USDA GPRA Food Security Indicator—This Economic Information Bulletin describes characteristics of low-income households that had very low food security in 2005. The U.S. Department of Agriculture monitors the food security of low-income households to assess how effectively the Government’s domestic nutrition assistance programs meet the needs of their target populations. USDA seeks to reduce the prevalence of very low food security among low-income households as part of its strategic plan under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA).
Food
Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment
of the Measure—An assessment by the National
Research Council's Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT)
concluded that USDA's measurement of food insecurity should
be continued, but may need to be strengthened in several
ways, and that a different methodology for measuring hunger
should be developed. The report is the product of an extensive
review by an independent expert panel convened by CNSTAT
at the request of ERS, along with USDA's Food and Nutrition
Service. The review was requested to ensure that USDA's
data collection and methodology in the areas of food security
and hunger are relevant and scientifically sound. The
full report is available from the National Academies,
a summary of the conclusions
and recommendations is available from ERS.
Recommended Readings
What Factors Account for
State-to-State Differences in Food Security?—States
differ in the extent to which their residents are food
secure—having consistent access to enough food for
active, healthy living. This ERS report explores the extent
to which the prevalence of food security by State depends
on characteristics that vary across States, such as average
wages, cost of housing, levels of participation in food
assistance programs, and tax policies, while taking into
account the characteristics of households in the State.
Taken together, household-level and State-level factors
account for most of the State-to-State differences in
food security.
Food Assistance
Research Brief: Food Insecurity in Households With Children—This
brief examines the extent to which the diets and eating
patterns of American children are disrupted because their
families cannot always afford enough food.
Guide
to Measuring Household Food Security, Revised 2000 —Provides
detailed guidance for researchers on how to use the U.S.
Household Food Security Survey Module to measure food
security and food insecurity. Statistics from surveys
that use these methods will be directly comparable to
published national statistics. Published by USDA's Food
and Nutrition Service.
See all recommended readings...
Recommended Data Products
Current Population
Survey Food Security Supplement—Available from
the Census Bureau on CD-ROM and on-line via the DataFerrett
system. The CPS Food Security Supplement is a nationally
representative survey of about 50,000 U.S. households
conducted by the Census Bureau for ERS annually since
1995. The data include information on household food security,
food expenditures, use of public and private food assistance
programs, and other information on how households cope
with limited food budgets.
For data access, documentation, and user notes for household
food security data, including CPS Food Security Supplements,
Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort
(ECLS-K), Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), and Survey
of Program Dynamics (SPD), see the food
security data page.
FANRP
Project Database—Provides details on extramural
Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program research
projects, both past and ongoing, including the project's
objective, funding level, researchers, and expected completion
date. See projects under food
security.
Related Briefing Rooms
Related Links
America's
Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being,
2007—This report from the Federal Interagency
Forum on Child and Family Statistics includes ERS statistics
on children's food security.
U.S. Action Plan on Food Security—Links to questions
and answers on food security and the U.S.
Action Plan on Food Security.
USDA
Hunger and Food Security page—Information on
USDA's Community Food Projects Competitive Grants fund,
with links and information about various community food
security resources.
See all related links...
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