ECON3 Food insecurity: Percentage of children ages 0–17 in food-insecure households by severity of food insecurity and selected characteristics, selected years 1995

ECON3 Food insecurity: Percentage of children ages 0–17 in food-insecure households by severity of food insecurity and selected characteristics, selected years 1995–2010

Characteristic	1995^a	1999	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
All children
In food-insecure households^b	19.4	16.9	17.6	18.1	18.2	19.0	16.9	17.2	16.9	22.5	23.2	21.6
In households with very low food security among children^c	1.3	0.7	0.6	0.8	0.6	0.7	0.8	0.6	0.9	1.5	1.3	1.3
Poverty status
Below 100% poverty
In food-insecure households^b	44.4	44.0	45.9	45.6	45.2	47.1	42.5	43.6	42.9	51.5	51.2	43.7
In households with very low food security among children^c	3.4	2.2	2.6	2.4	2.0	2.5	2.9	2.1	3.0	4.3	4.2	3.3
100–199% poverty
In food-insecure households^b	25.4	23.4	27.1	28.4	29.6	28.0	26.4	26.7	27.5	33.7	34.5	32.3
In households with very low food security among children^c	1.4	0.9	0.8	1.2	0.9	1.1	0.8	0.8	1.2	2.1	1.8	1.3
200% poverty and above
In food-insecure households^b	4.8	5.2	5.5	6.0	6.2	6.2	6.0	6.1	6.1	8.9	9.1	8.6
In households with very low food security among children^c	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.1	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.5
Race and Hispanic origin^d
White, non-Hispanic
In food-insecure households^b	14.0	11.0	11.9	12.6	12.0	13.0	12.2	11.8	11.9	16.0	16.7	14.9
In households with very low food security among children^c	0.8	0.4	0.2	0.4	0.2	0.4	0.5	0.3	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.5
Black, non-Hispanic
In food-insecure households^b	30.6	28.6	29.6	29.4	30.8	31.2	29.2	29.3	26.1	34.0	34.6	34.8
In households with very low food security among children^c	2.3	1.0	1.4	1.3	1.0	1.3	1.9	1.5	1.8	3.2	2.3	2.6
Hispanic
In food-insecure households^b	33.9	29.2	28.6	29.2	30.8	29.6	23.7	26.0	26.7	33.9	34.9	32.5
In households with very low food security among children^c	2.6	1.3	1.3	1.6	1.6	1.2	1.2	0.7	1.9	2.7	2.5	2.5
Region^e
Northeast
In food-insecure households^b	16.8	13.9	13.2	15.2	15.9	14.7	14.1	14.3	14.6	19.7	19.5	18.0
In households with very low food security among children^c	0.8	0.3	0.8	0.7	0.5	0.5	1.0	0.5	0.7	1.3	1.8	0.9
South
In food-insecure households^b	20.5	17.9	19.9	20.2	19.3	20.2	18.0	19.3	18.3	24.3	25.1	22.9
In households with very low food security among children^c	1.3	0.7	0.6	0.9	0.7	0.9	0.7	0.6	0.9	1.3	1.2	1.5
Midwest
In food-insecure households^b	16.2	14.2	14.0	15.8	16.5	17.6	15.8	16.5	15.4	21.1	21.7	20.0
In households with very low food security among children^c	0.8	0.6	0.5	0.3	0.3	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.9	1.1	0.6	0.9
West
In food-insecure households^b	23.2	20.3	20.9	19.5	19.8	21.7	18.1	16.7	17.7	23.0	23.9	23.6
In households with very low food security among children^c	2.1	1.2	0.7	1.1	0.6	0.8	1.1	0.6	1.2	2.1	1.9	1.6
Parental education
Parent or guardian with highest education less than high school or GED
In food-insecure households^b	41.8	40.5	37.6	41.4	37.7	39.8	37.3	39.2	38.2	46.2	42.6	41.8
In households with very low food security among children^c	3.0	2.0	1.1	1.8	1.4	1.2	1.4	2.3	2.4	2.8	3.2	3.2
Parent or guardian with highest education high school or GED
In food-insecure households^b	24.9	24.2	25.9	25.1	26.7	27.7	25.1	25.2	23.7	33.6	34.2	29.4
In households with very low food security among children^c	1.2	0.7	1.1	1.2	0.8	1.3	0.9	0.8	1.6	2.6	2.0	1.8
Parent or guardian with highest education some college, including vocational/technical or associate’s degree
In food-insecure households^b	18.9	15.6	17.5	18.8	19.2	20.7	18.3	19.3	18.7	25.6	27.0	26.6
In households with very low food security among children^c	1.5	0.9	0.5	0.8	0.7	0.9	1.1	0.5	1.0	1.6	1.6	1.4
Parent or guardian with highest education bachelor’s degree or higher
In food-insecure households^b	5.1	4.4	5.3	5.6	6.1	5.5	4.9	4.7	5.8	7.4	9.0	8.3
In households with very low food security among children^c	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.3	0.5
Family structure
Married-couple household
In food-insecure households^b	13.3	11.5	12.6	12.0	12.3	13.0	11.3	11.5	11.8	15.8	17.1	15.4
In households with very low food security among children^c	0.8	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.2	0.5	0.5	0.2	0.6	0.8	0.9	0.9
Female-headed household, no spouse
In food-insecure households^b	38.6	33.4	33.5	35.5	34.5	35.8	32.8	33.3	31.8	39.9	38.4	36.9
In households with very low food security among children^c	2.8	1.6	1.7	1.8	1.8	1.5	1.7	1.6	2.0	3.2	2.7	2.3
Male-headed household, no spouse
In food-insecure households^b	21.0	18.8	17.1	23.0	24.3	24.0	18.4	19.5	20.5	30.0	28.6	27.6
In households with very low food security among children^c	1.1	0.8	0.9	1.1	0.7	1.0	0.7	0.6	0.6	2.0	1.0	0.8
^a Statistics for 1995 are not precisely comparable with those for more recent years, due to a change in the method of screening Current Population Survey (CPS) sample households into the food security questions. The effect on 1995 statistics (a slight downward bias) is perceptible only for the category “In food-insecure households.” Statistics for 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2000 are omitted because they are not directly comparable with those for the other years.
^b Either adults or children or both were food insecure. At times they were unable to acquire adequate food for active, healthy living for all household members because they had insufficient money and other resources for food.
^c In these households, eating patterns of one or more children were disrupted, and their food intake was reduced below a level considered adequate by their caregiver. Prior to 2006, the category “with very low food security among children” was labeled “food insecure with hunger among children.” USDA introduced the new label based on recommendations by the Committee on National Statistics.
^d Race and Hispanic origin are those of the household reference person. From 1995 to 2002, the 1977 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Standards for Data on Race and Ethnicity were used to classify persons into one of the following four racial groups: White, Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, or Asian or Pacific Islander. Beginning in 2003, the revised 1997 OMB standards were used. Persons could select one or more of five racial groups: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Included in the total, but not shown separately, are American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and "Two or more races." From 2003 onward, statistics for White, non-Hispanics and Black, non-Hispanics exclude persons who indicated "Two or more races." Statistics by race and ethnicity from 2003 onward are not directly comparable with statistics for earlier years, although examination of the size and food security prevalence rates of the multiple-race categories suggests that effects of the reclassification on food security prevalence statistics were small. Data on race and Hispanic origin are collected separately. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
^e Regions: Northeast includes CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, and VT. South includes AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV. Midwest includes IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, and WI. West includes AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, and WY.
NOTE: The food security measure is based on data collected annually in the Food Security Supplement to the CPS. The criteria for classifying households as food insecure reflect a consensus judgment of an expert working group on food security measurement. For detailed explanations, see Bickel, G., et al., revised 2000, Guide to measuring household food security, Food and Nutrition Service; and Coleman-Jensen, A., et al., 2011, Household food security in the United States in 2010 (ERR-125), Economic Research Service.
SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement; tabulated by Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service and Food and Nutrition Service.