How prevalent is hunger in the United States?
Resource-constrained hunger refers to a potential consequence of food insecurity that, because of prolonged, involuntary lack of food, results in discomfort, illness, weakness, or pain that goes beyond the usual uneasy sensation. While USDA’s measurement of food insecurity provides some information about the economic and social contexts that may lead to hunger, it does not measure hunger or the number of hungry people. In 2007, 89 percent of U.S. households were food secure; i.e., they had consistent access to enough food for active healthy lives. The remaining households (11.1 percent) were food insecure at least some time during the year, about the same rate as 2006 (10.9 percent). The prevalence of very low food security, with food intake of some members reduced and normal eating patterns disrupted at times during the year because of food insecurity, was essentially unchanged from 2006, at 4.1 percent of households.
