Food insecurity is defined as a condition of uncertain availability of or inability to acquire safe, nutritious food in socially acceptable ways. Broadly speaking, this corresponds to the condition of hunger or the risk of having hunger.
The United States Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity with hunger more specifically as: “Reports of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.”
These maps represent percentages for food insecurity, and food insecurity with hunger. These figures are for households and are two year average estimates (e.g. 2006-2008).
Please note that prevalence rates for 1996-98 reported in Prevalence of Food Insecurity and Hunger, by State, 1996-1998 (Nord et al., 1999) are not directly comparable with the rates reported here because of differences in screening procedures in the CPS Food Security Supplements from 1995 to 1998.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture, Economic and Research Service
