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February 06, 2012

Increase food security among U.S. households and in so doing reduce hunger


Baseline Target
Objective Year Baseline 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2010
19-18 Food security among U.S. households 1995 88% DSU 90% DSU 89% 89% 89% --- --- --- 94%
Race and ethnicity
American Indian or Alaska Native only 1995-97 78% DSU DSU DSU 79% 79% 78% --- --- --- 94%
Asian or Pacific Islander only 1995 91% DSU 92% DSU 93% 92% 93% --- --- --- 94%
Asian only 1995 DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC --- --- --- 94%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only 1995 DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC --- --- --- 94%
Black or African American only 1995 76% DSU 79% DSU 78% 78% 78% --- --- --- 94%
White only 1995 90% DSU 92% DSU 91% 91% 90% --- --- --- 94%
2 or more races 1995 DNC --- DNC DNC DNC DNC DSU --- --- --- 94%
American Indian or Alaska Native; White 1995 DNC --- DNC DNC DNC DNC DSU --- --- --- 94%
Black or African American; White 1995 DNC --- DNC DNC DNC DNC DSU --- --- --- 94%
Hispanic or Latino 1995 75% DSU 79% DSU 78% 78% 78% --- --- --- 94%
Mexican American 1995 73% DSU 79% DSU 76% 77% 77% --- --- --- 94%
Not Hispanic or Latino 1995 89% DSU 91% DSU 90% 90% 90% --- --- --- 94%
Black or African American only, not Hispanic or Latino 1995 76% DSU 79% DSU 79% 78% 78% --- --- --- 94%
White only, not Hispanic or Latino 1995 91% DSU 93% DSU 92% 92% 92% --- --- --- 94%
Disability status
Persons with disabilities 1995 DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC --- --- --- 94%
Persons without disabilities 1995 DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC --- --- --- 94%
Lower income level (<=130% of poverty threshold)
All 1995 69% DSU 68% DSU 68% 66% 67% --- --- --- 94%
With children (aged under 18 years) 1995 59% DSU 60% DSU 59% 58% 58% --- --- --- 94%
With elderly persons (aged 65 years and over) 1995 85% DSU 82% DSU 82% 81% 84% --- --- --- 94%
Higher income level (>130% of poverty threshold)
All 1995 94% DSU 94% DSU 93% 93% 93% --- --- --- 94%
With children (aged under 18 years) 1995 91% DSU 92% DSU 90% 90% 90% --- --- --- 94%
With elderly persons (aged 65 years and over) 1995 98% DSU 97% DSU 97% 97% 97% --- --- --- 94%
Select populations
Household characteristics
With children (aged under 18 years) 1995 83% DSU 85% DSU 84% 83% 83% --- --- --- 94%
With elderly persons (aged 65 years and over) 1995 94% DSU 94% DSU 94% 94% 94% --- --- --- 94%
 
 
DATA ISSUES
--- = Data are not available.
BSL = Baseline data available for this year. See Baseline column.
DNA = Data have not been analyzed.
DNC = Data for specific population are not collected.
DSU = Data do not meet the criteria for statistical reliability, data quality, or confidentiality.
NA = Not applicable.
 
 
DATA SOURCE
19-18 Food Security Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS), U.S. Census Bureau.

Additional Information

Numerator: Number of U.S. households that did not report experiencing food insecurity over a 12-month period.

Denominator: Number of U.S. households during a 12 month period.

Population Targeted: U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population.

The 1995 Food Security Supplement to the Current Population Survey is a set of questions developed by an interagency working group led jointly by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service and HHS's National Center for Health Statistics. All of the indicators of food insecurity in the Supplement focus explicitly on food insufficiency and hunger, at adult and child levels, resulting from inadequate household resources. Other sources of food insecurity, such as child abuse/neglect or loss of function or mobility particularly relevant to the elderly population) are not distinguished by the measure.

The Food Security Supplement questions were asked of about 45,000 households as part of the 1995 Current Population Survey (a nationally representative sample selected and interviewed by the Census Bureau). This annual supplement has been in the CPS since 1995.

A statistical analysis of the survey responses identified a set of 18 core questions that were used to identify households with food insecurity. Two separate measurement scales were developed: one for food insecurity during a 12-month period and another for insecurity for the past 30 days. The 12-month scale, which covers a broader range of food insecurity, was used for this objective. Households were classified as food secure if fewer than three of the questions were answered affirmatively or if only one or two questions were answered affirmatively. Otherwise, the household was classified as food insecure. An affirmative answer included "yes," "often," or "sometimes."