Very Low Food Security Among Children
In 2012, 20% of United States families reported food insecurity, while 1.9% reported children with very low food security (VLFS). While income clearly impacts a family's food security, what factors differentiate households within similar income brackets? Firstly, family composition is imperative when discussing food security. Households with one or more teenage dependent are more at risk of very low food security. Low-income households headed by a female, an African-American, a recent immigrant, or someone without a High School diploma are more at risk of food insecurity. Households headed by a disabled person are almost two times as likely to have very low food security among their children as households with a non-disabled head at comparable income level. Not only is physical disability associated with very low food security, but the mental health of the household head is also correlated. In households reporting very low food security for children, there are higher rates of reported depression and mental illness among household heads. Additionally, as risk for food insecurity increases, the likelihood that the head of house has external financial or emotional support drops. A 2015 study also identified a correlation between families participating in a social net program and reported rates of very low food security. 3.3% of households in welfare programs report very low food security, while only 1.7% of low-income families not on welfare report VLFS. 2.6% of families in school lunch programs report very low food security while only 1.1% of non-involved families with similar socioeconomic status report food insecurity. Now, instead of suggesting that social net programs somehow cause food insecurity, these statistics merely illustrate the failure of our social reform system. Families already seeking federal, state, or community assistance have acknowledged their financial need, and are perhaps more willing to officially report food insecurity. That families, who have actively and openly sought public assistance, are still trapped by food insecurity hints at the brokenness of our social welfare system.
As seen in the image above, geography also impacts a family's reliable and secure access to food. Maryland has seven times the rate of food insecurity as Virginia. (Darker colors correlate to higher rates of food insecurity among children). Work Cited: Anderson, Patricia M., Kristin F. Butcher, Hilary W. Hoynes, and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach. Beyond Income: What else Predicts Very Low Food Security Among Children? January 2015. Accessed August 1, 2016. https://gspp.berkeley.edu/assets/uploads/research/pdf/RevisedSEJFinal.pdf.
