Food insufficiency exists in the United States: results from the third National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey (NHANES III). Food insufficiency exists in the United States: results from the
third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).
for those of you who didn't believe that there's starving people in this country. here is
the source.
Alaimo K, Briefel RR, Frongillo EA Jr, Olson CM.
National Center for Health Statistics, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Md.,
USA. [email hidden]
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of food insufficiency in the
United States and to examine sociodemographic characteristics related to food insufficiency.
METHODS: Data were analyzed from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a
cross-sectional representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population living in
households. Individuals were classified as "food insufficient" if a family respondent reported that
the family sometimes or often did not get enough food to eat. RESULTS: From 1988 through 1994, the
overall prevalence of food insufficiency was 4.1% and was primarily related to poverty status. In
the low-income population, food insufficiency was positively associated with being Mexican American,
being under the age of 60, having a family head who had not completed high school, participating in
the Food Stamp Program, and not having health insurance. It was not related to family type or
employment status of the family head. Over half of food-insufficient individuals lived in employed
families. CONCLUSIONS: Food insufficiency is not limited to very low-income persons, specific
racial/ethnic groups, family types, or the unemployed. Understanding food insufficiency is critical
to formulating nutrition programs and policies.