Prevalence of Food Security

This database provides data on food insecurity prevalence by state.  Figures reflect the average of a three-year period of measurement, e.g., 2011 reflects food security from 2009-2011.  

• Low food security is defined by households that reduced the quality, variety, and desirability of their diets, but the quantity of food intake and normal eating patterns were not substantially disrupted.
• Very low food security is defined as households that, at times during the year, experienced eating patterns for one or more household members that were disrupted and food intake reduced because the household lacked money and other resources for food. 

Figure represent answers to questions about food security, food expenditures, and use of food and nutrition assistance programs from the Current Population Survey. They are expressed in percent and exclude households for which food security is unknown because the family did not provide a valid response to the survey.  The margin of error around the figures reported varies by state and year.