U.S food insecurity and population trends with a focus on adults with disabilities

Abstract

Food insecurity is a key indicator of well-being. This article provides an overview of food security measurement and population trends with a focus on adults with disabilities and their risk for food insecurity. Food-insecure households had difficulty providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources. Disabilities have been shown to be a strong risk factor for food insecurity. This finding has held true across multiple datasets and while examining different types of disability. Work-limiting disabilities and disabling mental health conditions appear to be particularly detrimental to food insecurity. However, less is known about the mechanisms through which disabilities affect food insecurity. More research in this area can help point toward policy solutions to improve the food security of those with disabilities.