11 Facts About Hunger in the US

Each year, millions of Americans are impacted by hunger and food insecurity. Experiencing food insecurity at a young age can lead to lasting health concerns -- especially if families facing hunger are forced to choose between spending money on food or on medical care. When communities have access to healthy, well-balanced diets, everyone benefits.

Keep reading to find out more about how hunger and food insecurity affect families all over the country. After you’ve learned something, Do Something! As part of NFL Huddle for 100, join DoSomething and the NFL in the largest, national youth-led food drive to keep kids across the country active, energized, fueled up, and healthy.

1. In 2017, 40 million people struggled with hunger in the United States.^[Feeding America. “Facts About Hunger and Poverty in America.” Feeding America, 2017. Web accessed April 16, 2019.]
2. The USDA defines "food insecurity" as the lack of access, at times, to enough food for all household members. In 2017, an estimated 15 million households were food insecure. ^[Coleman-Jenson, A., Gregory, C., Rabbitt, M., & Singh, A. “Household Food Security in the United States in 2017.” USDA Economic Research Service, 2018. Web accessed April 18, 2019.]
3. In America, hunger is caused by poverty and financial resources at both the national and local levels.^[Feeding America. “Poverty and unemployment impact food insecurity.” Feeding America, 2018. Web accessed Apr. 18, 2019.]
4. 45 million Americans rely on stipends from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to buy food each month, according to the USDA. 2/3 of these benefits go to households with children.^[No Kid Hungry. “Child Hunger Facts.” No Kid Hungry, 2018. Web accessed April 16, 2019.]
5. 1 in 6 American children may not know where their next meal is coming from.^[Feeding America. “Facts About Child Hunger in America.” Feeding America, 2017. Web accessed April 18, 2019.]
6. 22 million children in America rely on the free or reduced-price lunch they receive at school, but as many as 3 million children still aren't getting the breakfast they need.^[No Kid Hungry. “Child Hunger Facts.” No Kid Hungry, 2018. Web accessed April 16, 2019.]
7. Children who experience food insecurity are at a higher risk of developing asthma, struggling with anxiety or depression, and performing poorly in school or physical activities.^[Food Research & Action Center. “The Impact of Poverty, Food Insecurity, and Poor Nutrition on Health and Well-Being.” FRAC, 2017. Web accessed April 18, 2019.]
8. 15% of families living in rural areas experience food insecurity, compared with 11.8% living in suburban and metropolitan areas.^[America's Health Rankings. “Analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement.” United Health Foundation, 2019. Web accessed April 18, 2019.]
9. People of color are disproportionately affected by higher risk of hunger. 22.5% of Black households and 18.5% of Latinx/Hispanic households experienced food insecurity in 2018.^[America's Health Rankings. “Analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement.” United Health Foundation, 2019. Web accessed April 18, 2019.]
10. These 8 states have the highest rates of food insecurity in the United States: Mississippi (18.7%), Louisiana (18.3%), Alabama (18.1%), New Mexico (17.6%), Arkansas (17.5%), Kentucky (17.3%), Maine (16.4%), Oklahoma (15.2%).^[America's Health Rankings. “Analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement.” United Health Foundation, 2019. Web accessed April 18, 2019.]
11. In 2017, households with children had a substantially higher rate of food insecurity (15.7%) than those without children (10.1%).^[Coleman-Jenson, A., Gregory, C., Rabbitt, M. “Key Statistics | Food Insecurity by Household Characteristics.” USDA Economic Research Service, 2018. Web accessed April 18, 2019.]