Current Population Survey Food Security Research Articles

A novel approach to assessing food insecurity for small geographic areas using household living budgets

AbstractThe USDA Economic Research Service has monitored food insecurity at national and state levels since 1995 using the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement. But if a food insecurity measure is to inform action and target interventions, it must be constructed for smaller geographic levels that consider geographic price differences. This article constructs a novel measure of food insecurity using an alternative approach based on financial needs of households, known as the household living budget (HLB). The HLB is defined as the income required to satisfy a household's essential needs, enabling it to maintain a modest yet sufficient standard of living while covering federal and state income taxes. The HLB is constructed at the census tract level and incorporates three key determinants of food insecurity: household size and composition, household income, and food costs. We demonstrate how the HLB along with publicly available data can be used to construct a food insecurity measure using a residual income approach to assess if households are able to afford paying for food expenditures and assess the qualification thresholds of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Food insecurity estimates are obtained for households in Washington, D.C. and benchmarked to regional results provided by a survey sponsored by the Capital Area Foodbank.

Food insecurity trends and disparities according to immigration status in the US households, 2011–2021

BackgroundFood insecurity related to immigration status remains largely underexplored. This study examined trends and disparities in household food insecurity by immigration status in the United States (US). MethodsWe analyzed data from 427,942 households from the US Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement from 2011 to 2021. Immigration status categories included recent immigrants (< 5 years), long-term immigrants (≥ 5 years), naturalized citizens, and US-born citizens. Food insecurity was assessed using validated questions on consistent access to enough food for an active and healthy life. ResultsFrom 2011 to 2021, food insecurity prevalence declined from 14.9 % (95 % CI, 14.5 %–15.3 %) to 10.2 % (95 % CI, 9.8 %–10.6 %). Among recent immigrants, prevalence decreased from 25.2 % (95 % CI, 23.1–27.4) in 2011 to 15.0 % (95 % CI, 12.8 %–17.2 %) in 2019, then increased to 17.7 % (95 % CI, 14.7 %–20.2 %) in 2020 and 17.4 % (95 % CI, 14.7 %–20.2 %) in 2021. Long-term immigrants' prevalence dropped from 20.4 % (95 % CI, 16.9 %–24.0 %) in 2011 to 10.2 % (95 % CI, 7.2 %–13.1 %) in 2018, then increased to 17.7 % (95 % CI, 13.7 %–21.7 %) in 2021. Naturalized citizens' prevalence decreased from 14.4 % (95 % CI, 12.9 %–15.9 %) to 9.5 % (95 % CI, 8.2 %–10.9 %). US-born citizens' prevalence decreased from 14.2 % (95 % CI, 13.8 %–14.6 %) to 9.7 % (95 % CI, 9.3 %–10.2 %). Compared to the US-born citizens, the adjusted prevalence ratio was 1.63 (95 % CI,1.57–1.69) for recent immigrants, 1.22 (95 % CI, 1.13–1.31) for long-term immigrants, and 0.94 (95 % CI, 0.90–0.98) for naturalized citizens. Significant disparities exist in subgroups. ConclusionsThe findings provide insights for stakeholders to address food insecurity among vulnerable immigrant groups in the US.

Heterogeneous effects of Medicaid expansion on food security measures

AbstractThe 2014 Affordable Care Act (ACA) included state‐level Medicaid expansion programs, which have been credited with gains in food security for low‐income, able‐bodied, childless adults without dependents (ABAWDs). Yet, ABAWDs represent a diverse cohort who experience disparities along racial and ethnic lines, which could be partly responsible for differences in health‐related outcomes. This study uses data from the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement to estimate the heterogeneous effect of ACA Medicaid expansion on food security among ABAWDs by race, ethnicity, and income. We find that Medicaid expansion improved food security for households headed by White ABAWDs—particularly those with incomes above 50% of the federal poverty line—but we do not find similarly significant evidence of gains among some historically marginalized populations. We find weak evidence that suggests that households headed by Hispanic ABAWDs may have experienced gains. However, Black‐headed ABAWD households had significantly worse food insecurity relative to the pooled sample of all races and ethnicities. Our results suggest that the relationship between healthcare access and food security is complex and, although spillover effects from a change in healthcare policy can influence food security status, such effects may not be equitably distributed across race, ethnicity, or income.

Food security among SNAP participants 2019 to 2021: a cross-sectional analysis of current population survey food security supplement data.

Surveillance data indicate that food security rates increased among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 and 2021) compared with pre-pandemic (2019), but this could have been due to increased participation from better resourced households. Our objective was to examine if demographic differences between SNAP-participating households in each year were responsible for the increased prevalence of food secure households. We calculated the observed 30-d food security prevalence among SNAP-participating households for each year. We used indirect standardisation to produce expected 2020 and 2021 prevalences with 2019 as the standard population using household size, income, age, sex, race, Hispanic ethnicity, presence of children, single parent household, metropolitan status and census region. We calculated standardised prevalence ratios (SPRs) to understand if the observed prevalence was higher than expected given any changes in the demographic profile compared to 2019. The Current Population Survey data were collected by the United States Census Bureau and Department of Agriculture. Our sample included 5,245 SNAP-participating households. The observed prevalence of food secure households increased by 3⋅6 percentage points comparing 2019 to 2020 (SPR = 1⋅06, 95 % confidence interval = 1⋅00, 1⋅11) and by 8⋅6 percentage comparing 2019 to 2021 (SPR = 1⋅13, 95 % confidence interval = 1⋅07, 1⋅18). The greater prevalence of food secure SNAP households during the pandemic did not appear to be attributable to socio-demographic differences compared to pre-pandemic. Despite hesitance among policymakers to expand or enhance social safety net programmes, permanently incorporating COVID-19-related policy interventions could lessen food insecurity in years to come.

The 2016 Presidential Election, the Public Charge Rule, and Food and Nutrition Assistance Among Immigrant Households.

Objectives. To investigate whether the 2016 US presidential election and the subsequent leak of a proposed change to the public charge rule reduced immigrant families' participation in food and nutrition assistance programs. Methods. We used nationally representative data on n = 57 808 households in the United States from the 2015-2018 Current Population Survey-Food Security Supplement. We implemented difference-in-difference-in-difference analyses to investigate whether the election and proposed rule change produced decreases in immigrant families' participation in food and nutrition assistance programs and whether such decreases varied according to state policy generosity toward immigrants. Results. Findings indicate significant and large decreases in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, School Breakfast Program, and National School Lunch Program participation among immigrants in moderately generous states but no changes to receipt of food assistance from nongovernmental sources or to household food insecurity. Conclusions. Both anti-immigrant rhetoric and the perceived threat of policy enactment can be enough to produce chilling effects that have potentially serious implications for the health of immigrant households and thus the health of the nation. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(12):1738-1746. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307011).

Sick, Hungry, and Vulnerable: Federal Stimulus and Food Security on Marginalized Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In addition to the threat of serious illness, COVID-19 and subsequent restrictions had devastating economic consequences for many US citizens. This study examines the evolution of food security over the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic testing whether the initial economic stimulus payment improved the nutritional well-being of vulnerable populations. We use data from phase 1 of the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey among a nationally representative sample of adults and the 2017-2018 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement. Using an ordered logistic regression, we assess differences in the incidence and severity of food security across demographic, income, geographic, and employment status cohorts and assess the effects of the first economic stimulus payment. Our results show that marginalized groups faced greater food insecurity and had food-related outcomes worsen over time. Blacks, Hispanics, and individuals living in rural areas became less food secure as the pandemic progressed. However, receipt of a stimulus payment appears to have improved conditions. Rising food prices and persistent high unemployment have the potential to exacerbate food insecurity among marginalized and at-risk groups.

Food insecurity among immigrant populations in the United States

As households immigrate to the United States, persistent food preferences or challenges in producing desired foods may affect their ability to achieve food security. Alternatively, some immigrants may excel in their new environment allowing them to be more food secure than their native counterparts. Using the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement, we compare food security levels between Chinese, Indian, Mexican, and West African immigrant households with matched native households. We find that immigrants from Mexico and West Africa are less food secure than their native counterparts, whereas immigrants from China and India are more food secure. We demonstrate how these findings are the result of immigrant selection which favors certain groups.

Use of the emergency food system among food insecure, low-income households in the United States 2015 to 2020

ABSTRACT The emergency food system (EFS) is a critical part of the United States’ social safety net. Using 2015–2020 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement data, we identified trends in EFS use among food insecure, low-income households by estimating the probability of EFS use adjusting for demographics using multivariable logistic regression. From 2015 to 2019, between 31.0% and 34.4% of households received emergency food, while 42.4% did in 2020. EFS use did not increase in 2020 compared to prior years for older adults and non-metropolitan households. Targeted outreach should be used to expand the reach of this resource to underserved and marginalized populations.”

Food Security Status and Its Related Factors in the Elderly in Yazd

Background: Increasing population aging is a global challenge and has occurred very rapidly in all parts of the world. The elderly population is more at risk of diseases, and their improper condition may impair their ability to live and cook at home. Food insecurity endangers public health as well as nutritional status, especially in the elderly. The present study aims to investigate the food security status and its associated factors in adults aged over 60‏ years. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 elderly (88 men and 112 women) referring to health centers in Yazd. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to record demographic information. The standardized FaCPS-FSSM (Farsi Current Population Survey-Food Security Survey Module) questionnaire was used to assess the food security of the elderly. The participants’ food security and their relationship with the studied variables were evaluated by chi-square and ANOVA statistical tests using SPSS software version 20. Results: The findings indicate 44% complete food security, 12.5% mild insecurity, 8.5% moderate insecurity, and 35% severe food insecurity in the elderly participated in the study. Moreover, a significant relationship was observed between education level (P = 0.01), marital status (P = 0.01), income (P = 0.001), and some chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular (P = 0.02), gastrointestinal disorders (P = 0.03), and hyperlipidemia (P = 0.01) with food insecurity (P ˂ 0.05). Conclusion: The present study shows a significant prevalence of food insecurity (56%) in the elderly. A significant relationship was also observed between some chronic diseases and food insecurity. Therefore, it is recommended to perform educational programs, intervention studies, and cohort studies to improve food insecurity, especially in the elderly with the mentioned chronic diseases.

Do state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program policies influence program participation among seniors?

AbstractSenior participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has traditionally been lower than other groups among those eligible, with historical estimates below 50%. We examine the impacts of state SNAP policies on program participation among low‐income senior (age 60 and older) and nonsenior households using data from the 2001 to 2014 December Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement. Our results suggest that policies designed to expand SNAP eligibility modestly increased participation among seniors but led to larger increases among nonseniors. In contrast, we find little evidence of effects of policies related to transaction costs, stigma, or outreach on either group.

Food Insecurity on College and University Campuses: A Context and Rationale for Solutions

Food Insecurity on College and University Campuses: A Context and Rationale for Solutions

Development of a Tribally-led Gardening Curriculum for Indigenous Preschool Children: The FRESH Study

Development of a Tribally-led Gardening Curriculum for Indigenous Preschool Children: The FRESH Study

Does Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Reduce Food Insecurity among Households with Children? Evidence from the Current Population Survey.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to improve household diet and food security—a pressing problem confronting low-income families in the United States. Previous studies on the issue often ignored the methodological issue of endogenous program participation. We revisit this important issue by estimating a simultaneous equation system with ordinal household food insecurity. Data are drawn from the 2009–2011 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS-FSS), restricted to SNAP-eligible households with children. Our results add to the stocks of empirical findings that SNAP participation ameliorates food insecurity among adults only, but increases the probabilities of low and very low food security among children. These contradictory results indicate that our selection approach with a single cross section is only partially successful, and that additional efforts are needed in further analyses of this complicated issue, perhaps with longitudinal data. Socio-demographic variables are found to affect food-secure households and food-insecure households differently, but affect SNAP nonparticipants and participants in the same direction. The state policy tools, such as broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) and simplified reporting, can encourage SNAP participation and thus ameliorate food insecurity. Our findings can inform policy deliberations.

Do State Snap Policies Influence Program Participation Among Seniors?

Senior participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has traditionally been lower than other groups among those eligible, with historical estimates below 50 percent. We examine the impacts of state SNAP policies on program participation among low-income senior (age 60 and older) and non-senior households using data from the 2001-2014 December Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement. Our results suggest that policies designed to expand SNAP eligibility modestly increased participation among seniors but led to larger increases among non-seniors. In contrast, we find little evidence of effects of policies related to transaction costs, stigma, or outreach on either group. Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.

The Need for Investment in Rigorous Interventions to Improve Child Food Security

The Need for Investment in Rigorous Interventions to Improve Child Food Security

Heterogeneous Impact of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefit Changes on Food Security by Local Prices

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit amount is fixed across all 48 states (except Hawaii and Alaska), although food prices vary widely. Hence, the real value of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits can directly affect the purchasing power of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants and subsequently their food insecurity. Using the 2 most recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit formula in 2009 and 2013, this study examines whether the changes in benefit level affected food security of participants differentially depending on local food prices. Data from the Current Population Survey-Food Security Supplement 2008-2009 and 2012-2013, merged with the Regional Price Parities from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, were used. Linear regression with a differences-in-differences strategy estimated the effects of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit changes on the food security of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program households, separately by those in high- and low-cost areas. The analyses were completed in 2019. After the benefit increase, the prevalence of low food security among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program households living in high-cost areas declined by 11.2 percentage points (95% CI=1.6, 20.8). Following the benefit decrease, the prevalence of very low food security among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program households increased by 8.7 percentage points (95% CI=3.6, 13.8) in high-cost areas. In contrast, there was no statistically significant difference between Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and non-Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program households in low-cost areas in response to the benefit changes. Given the heterogeneous effects of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit changes on food security by local food prices, this study provides additional evidence for the ongoing policy debate regarding whether the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit amounts should be adjusted to the cost of living.

Do Walmart Supercenters Improve Food Security?

AbstractThis paper examines the effect that Walmart Supercenters, which lower food prices and expand food availability, have on food insecurity. Data come from the 2001–2012 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplements matched to Walmart Supercenter entry dates and locations. Using instrumental variables models that leverage Walmart’s predictable expansion pattern outward from corporate headquarters, we find that closer proximity to a Walmart Supercenter improves household and child food security, as measured by affirmative responses to a food insecurity questionnaire and an indicator for food insecurity. The effects are largest among low‐income households and children but are also sizeable for middle‐income children.

Food pantry assistance and the great recession

ABSTRACTUsing nationally representative data from the National Center for Charitable Statistics and the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement, this study documents trends in the supply of and demand for food pantry assistance. While the number of food pantries has grown dramatically since 1995, there has been little expansion since the end of the Great Recession, a period of worldwide economic downturn that occurred between December 2007 and June 2009 in the United States, despite an increase in the number of households that report receiving food from food pantries. In the last 10 years, those who participate in food pantries have become older, more likely to have some college education, be divorced, separated or widowed, and unemployed after the Great Recession. Finally, we document that personal demographic characteristics associated with pantry use closely follow the correlates of poverty itself.

Bank Accounts, Nonbank Financial Transaction Products, and Food Insecurity among Households with Children

Low‐ and moderate‐income households with children often face considerable difficulties in ensuring enough financial resources for adequate consumption. With households in both the December 2008 current population survey (CPS) food security supplement and the January 2009 CPS unbanked and underbanked supplement, I investigate the relationship between bank account ownership, nonbank financial transaction products, and food security of households with children. Unbanked households and households that use alternative financial service transaction products are more likely to experience very low food security and food insecurity than other households. Currently unbanked but previously banked households as well as underbanked households face the greatest risk of food insecurity. Policies to improve the consumption adequacy of households with children may benefit from a multifaceted approach that addresses their banking and financial transaction needs.

Using Household Fit Indices to Examine the Psychometric Quality of Food Insecurity Measures.

This study focuses on model-data fit with a particular emphasis on household-level fit within the context of measuring household food insecurity. Household fit indices are used to examine the psychometric quality of household-level measures of food insecurity. In the United States, measures of food insecurity are commonly obtained from the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM, 18 items) of the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS-FSS). These measures, in various forms, are used to inform national programs and policies related to food insecurity. Data for low-income households with children from recent administrations of the HFSSM (2012-2014) are used in this study (N = 7,324). The results suggest that there are detectable levels of misfit with Infit mean square error (MSE) statistics ranging from 6.73 % to 21.33% and Outfit MSE statistics ranging from 5.31% to 9.68%. The data suggest for Outfit MSE statistics that (a) male respondents, (b) respondents with lower levels of education, and (c) respondents who did not report participating in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly the Food Stamp Program) tend to have more misfit. For Infit MSE statistics, lack of homeownership appears to be a predictor of misfit. The implications of this research for future research, theory, and policy related to the measurement of household food insecurity are discussed.