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by Marion Nestle
Sep
13
2022
Food insecurity statistics: some good news!
The USDA has released its annual report on food insecurity. The news is relatively good.
It’s even relatively good for households with children.
Why the sharp downturn?
USDA ducks this question (too political, I guess): “This report does not provide an analysis of possible causal explanations for prevalence or trends in food insecurity.”
But the reason is obvious: increased participation in federal food assistance programs and higher benefits from those programs.
If people have more money for food, they will buy more food and feed their children better.
See:
- New York Times: Expanded Safety Net Drives Sharp Drop in Child Poverty
- Pandemic aid helped families’ nutrition and well-being — report, in Ag Insider
- Hunger Free America survey. The survey data are HERE.
- The school meals programs also helped, as this JAMA Open article documents.
And the USDA documents:
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Coming soon! My memoir, October 4.
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