Overview
Last updated: October 6, 2021
Food insufficiency, which means sometimes or often not having enough to eat, has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Certain populations are experiencing higher levels of food insufficiency as a result of systemic inequalities that pre-date the pandemic.
FRAC’s Food Insufficiency During COVID-19 Dashboard includes
- Summary Data
- According to Census Household Pulse Survey data, rates of food insufficiency (“sometimes” or “often” not having enough to eat) increased from early September (8.8 percent) to late September (9.4 percent). Rates have been increasing since early August (7.8 percent).
- Breakdown by race/ethnicity: In the month of September, food insufficiency rates increased for most racial and ethnic groups. Rates remain higher for Black and Latinx adults (18.2 percent and 15.5 percent, respectively) compared to White adults (6.7 percent).
- Breakdown by family type: In comparison to prior months, food insufficiency rates among households with children increased slightly from early to late September (11.0 to 11.3 percent), while the increase among households with children was steeper (7.6 to 8.4 percent).
- Breakdown by gender identity and sexual orientation: Food insufficiency rates decreased among transgender individuals (26.2 percent to 15.0 percent) but are still higher than rates among cisgender individuals (9.1 percent). Overall food insufficiency rates were 13.7 percent among LGBT individuals, 8.7 percent among non-LGBT individuals, and 15.8 percent among those who identify as another sexual orientation (e.g., intersex, asexual). Read this post for more on the new Pulse survey and LGBT communities.
- Economic Context to Explain Increase in Food Insufficiency
- Economic Context: Job growth has stalled in August and September, possibly due to increased transmission of the COVID-19 delta variant, and unemployment increased among Black workers. In addition, the cost of food is expected to keep increasing through the end of the year, which will continue to increase the risk for food insufficiency.
- Of the respondents who reported food insufficiency in early September, 79 percent indicated that it was because they “couldn’t afford to buy more food.”
- Key Takeaways
- Disparities by race and ethnicity have been increasing since early August.
- Continued monthly payments of the Child Tax Credit may help explain why food insufficiency rates are rising at a slower rate for households with children compared to households without children.
- To ensure an equitable recovery, benefits should not be ended too early and leave behind those who are still struggling to put food on the table.
Mapping Food Insufficiency
The map shows the average rate of food insufficiency, which means sometimes or often not having enough to eat, in the previous seven days. Food insufficiency rates are calculated from the Census Household Pulse Survey data.
Comparing States
The bar graphs show the average rate of food insufficiency, which means sometimes or often not having enough to eat, in the previous seven days. Food insufficiency rates are calculated from the Census Household Pulse Survey data.
Impact of COVID-19 on Special Populations
Hunger, Poverty, and Health Disparities During COVID-19 and the Federal Nutrition Programs’ Role in an Equitable Recovery
The health and economic crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has made the federal nutrition programs more important than ever. FRAC’s latest report is a review of new research on how the federal nutrition programs reduce hunger, poverty, and health, including their efficacy during the pandemic, and concludes with policy recommendations to leverage the federal nutrition programs for a robust and equitable recovery.