Global InformationHunger in the United States information
Hunger in the United States of America affects millions of Americans, including some who are middle class, or who are in households where all adults are in work. The United States produces far more food than it needs for domestic consumption—hunger within the U.S. is caused by some Americans having insufficient money to buy food for themselves or their families. Additional causes of hunger and food insecurity include neighborhood deprivation and agricultural policy.[1][2] Hunger is addressed by a mix of public and private food aid provision. Public interventions include changes to agricultural policy, the construction of supermarkets in underserved neighborhoods, investment in transportation infrastructure, and the development of community gardens.[3][4][5][6] Private aid is provided by food pantries, soup kitchens, food banks, and food rescue organizations.[7][8][9]
Historically, the U.S. was a world leader in reducing hunger both domestically and internationally. In the latter half of the twentieth century, other advanced economies in Europe and Asia began to overtake the U.S. in terms of reducing hunger among their own populations. In 2011, a report presented in the New York Times found that among 20 economies recognized as advanced by the International Monetary Fund and for which comparative rankings for food security were available, the U.S. was joint worst.[10] Nonetheless, in March 2013, the Global Food Security Index ranked the U.S. number one for food affordability and overall food security.[11]
In 2022, about 12.8% American households were food insecure. Surveys have consistently found much higher levels of food insecurity for students, with a 2019 study finding that over 40% of US undergraduate students experienced food insecurity. Indicators suggested the prevalence of food insecurity for US households approximately doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an especially sharp rise for households with young children.[12][13][14]
The Human Rights Measurement Initiative[15] finds that the US is achieving 87.6% of what should be possible at their income level for fulfilling the right to food.[16]
- ^ Walker, Renee; Keane, Christopher; Burke, Jessica (September 2010). "Disparities and access to healthy food in the United States: A review of food deserts literature". Health & Place. 16 (5): 876–884. doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.04.013. PMID 20462784. S2CID 4637240.
- ^ Fields, Scott (October 2004). "The Fat of the Land: Do Agricultural Subsidies Foster Poor Health?". Environmental Health Perspectives. 112 (14): 820–823. doi:10.1289/ehp.112-a820. PMC 1247588. PMID 15471721.
- ^ Popkin, Barry; Adair, Linda; Ng, Shu Wen (January 2012). "NOW AND THEN: The Global Nutrition Transition: The Pandemic of Obesity in Developing Countries". Nutrition Reviews. 70 (1): 3–21. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00456.x. PMC 3257829. PMID 22221213.
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Obesity, physical activity, and the urban environment: public health research needswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
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sweetwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
welfareCrisiswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "American Shame". New York Times. February 19, 2011. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
- ^ "Global Food Security Index". London: The Economist Intelligence Unit. March 5, 2013. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
- ^ Pedersen, Traci (August 13, 2019). "Food Insecurity Common Among US College Students". Psych Central. Archived from the original on August 13, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
SysRevStd2018was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Lauren Bauer (May 6, 2020). "The COVID-19 crisis has already left too many children hungry in America". Brookings Institution. Archived from the original on May 7, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "Human Rights Measurement Initiative". Human Rights Measurement Initiative. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
- ^ "United States - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2022.