WASHINGTON — The number of U.S. households that are
struggling to feed their members jumped by 4 million to 17 million last year,
as recession-driven job losses and increased poverty and unemployment fueled a
surge in hunger, a government survey reported Monday.
These “food-insecure” households represent about
49 million people and make up 14.6 percent, or more than one in seven, of all
U.S. households. That’s the highest rate since the U.S. Department of
Agriculture began monitoring the issue in 1995.
Additionally, more than one-third of these struggling
families — some 6.7 million households, or 17.2 million people last year — had
“very low food security,” in which food intake was reduced and eating
patterns were disrupted for some family members because of a lack of food.
In phone interviews, more than two-thirds of people with
very low food security said they went hungry from time to time, and 27 percent
of these adults said they didn’t eat at all some days.
These families make up 5.7 percent of U.S. households, again
the highest rate since 1995, up from 4.1 percent and 4.7 million households in
2007.
In a statement, President Barack Obama called the report
unsettling and said it was particularly troubling that there were more than
500,000 families in which children experienced hunger multiple times last year.
Obama said his administration was “committed to
reversing the trend of rising hunger” and that restoring job growth would
“help relieve the economic pressures that make it difficult for parents to
put a square meal on the table each day.”
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the situation
would be far worse for many more Americans were it not for food pantries and
federal food assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program, formerly known as food stamps.
Vilsack said the findings were consistent with the nation’s
dire economic climate and that next year’s report probably would show a
worsening situation due to continued job losses and rising unemployment.
Vilsack said the findings from the annual USDA survey of
44,000 households were a “wake-up call for America.”
“As many American families begin to make preparation
for the Thanksgiving holiday it is time for us to remember that, unfortunately,
49 million Americans may not be able to celebrate Thanksgiving in the way they
ought to be able to celebrate it,” Vilsack said.
The report found that 85.4 percent of U.S. households were
“food secure” throughout last year, meaning that all household
members had consistent access to enough food for active, healthy lives.
Single-parent families, low-income households,
African-Americans and Latinos were more likely to experience food insecurities,
report co-author Mark Nord said. Married families, childless households with
two or more adults and elderly households were less likely.
Most of the 17 million “food-insecure” households
avoid long-term eating disruptions, but they rely on cheaper, less nutritious
foods and eat the same things several days in a row, Nord said. Families in the
“very low food security” group experience severe and prolonged bouts
of hunger.
Food insecurity, measured at the state level from 2006 to
2008, was lowest in North Dakota, at 6.9 percent, and highest in Mississippi,
at 17.4 percent. “Very low” food security was also lowest in North
Dakota during this period, 2.6 percent, and highest in Mississippi, at 7.4
percent.
Vilsack said the report underscored the need to reauthorize
and boost funding for child nutrition programs such as the Summer Food Service
Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Special Supplemental
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. Vilsack is to testify
Tuesday at a hearing on their reauthorization before the Senate Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
Via McClatchy-Tribune News Service.
