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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Reduce household food insecurity and hunger  — NWS‑01 Infographic

This objective is a Leading Health Indicator (LHI). Learn about LHIs.

Status: Getting worse

  Getting worse

Most Recent Data:
13.5 percent (2023)

Target:
6.0 percent

Desired Direction:
Decrease desired

Baseline:
11.1 percent of households were food insecure in 2018

Food insecurity is defined as a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Consistent, dependable access to nutritious food is critical to health. Food insecurity and a lack of access to affordable nutritious food are associated with a higher risk for chronic health conditions like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and mental health problems. Households that include one or more adults with disabilities have higher rates of food insecurity than households with no adults with disabilities. Giving more people benefits through nutrition assistance programs, increasing benefit amounts, and addressing unemployment may help reduce food insecurity and hunger.

In 2023, 13.5 percent of households were food insecure.

Data Source:  Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS-FSS), Census and USDA/ERS

Disparities in household food insecurity rates by disability status  ‡

In 2023, households with 1 or more adults with disabilities had the higher group rate of food insecurity (23.2 percent). Households with no adults with disabilities (reference group) had the lower group rate (10.5 percent).

The rate of food insecurity among households with 1 or more adults with disabilities was more than twice the rate among households with no adults with disabilities (maximal rate ratio). The difference between the higher and lower group rates was 12.7 percentage points (maximal rate difference).

Learn about how we calculate disparities data.

Find data for additional demographic groups.