Food insecurity affected one in five households with children in 2011
- by Economic Research Service
- 9/12/2012

ERS monitors the extent and severity of food insecurity in all U.S. households and in U.S. households with children under age 18. In 2011, 14.9 percent of all U.S. households and 20.6 percent of households with children were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members due to lack of resources. In about half of those food-insecure households with children, only the adults experienced food insecurity. In the other half, both children and adults were food insecure sometime during the year. In 1 percent of U.S. households with children (374,000 households) both children and adults experienced instances of very low food security, where food intakes were reduced and eating patterns were disrupted. This chart is from Household Food Security in the United States in 2011, ERR-141, released on September 5, 2012.