Physiologically, hunger relates to appetite and is the body’s response to a need for nourishment. Through stomach discomfort or intestinal rumbling, the body alerts the brain that it requires food. This uneasy sensation is easily addressed with a snack or a full meal. However, the term “hunger” also relates to a weakened condition that is a consequence of a prolonged lack of food. People who suffer from this form of hunger typically experience malnourishment, along with poor growth and development.

Hunger

Adequate food intake that meets nutritional requirements is essential to achieve a healthy, productive lifestyle. However, millions of people in North America, not to mention globally, go hungry and are malnourished each year due to a recurring and involuntary lack of food. The economic crisis of 2008 caused a dramatic increase in hunger across the United States.¹

Key Hunger Statistics

In 2010, 925 million people around the world were classified as hungry. Although this was a decrease from a historic high of more than one billion people from the previous year, it is still an unbearable number. Every night, millions and millions of people go to sleep hungry due to a lack of the money or resources needed to acquire an adequate amount of food. This graph shows the division of hungry people around the globe.

Key Hunger Terms

A number of terms are used to categorize and classify hunger. Two key terms, food security and food insecurity, focus on status and affect hunger statistics. Another term, malnutrition, refers to the deficiencies that a hungry person experiences.

Food Security

Most American households are considered to be food secure, which means they have adequate access to food and consume enough nutrients to achieve a healthy lifestyle. However, a minority of US households will experience food insecurity at certain points during the year, which means their access to food is limited due to a lack of money or other resources. This graphic shows the percentage of food-secure and food-insecure households in the United States during the year 2010.

Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is defined as not having adequate access to food that meets nutritional needs. According to the USDA, about 48.8 million people live in food-insecure households and have reported multiple indications of food access problems. About sixteen million of those have “very low food security,” which means one or more people in the household were hungry at some point over the course of a year due to the inability to afford enough food. The difference between low and very low food security is that members of low insecurity households have reported problems of food access, but have reported only a few instances of reduced food intake, if any. African American and Hispanic households experience food insecurity at much higher rates than the national average.²

Households with limited resources employ a variety of methods to increase their access to adequate food. Some families purchase junk food and fast food—cheaper options that are also very unhealthy. Other families who struggle with food security supplement the groceries they purchase by participating in government assistance programs. They may also obtain food from emergency providers, such as food banks and soup kitchens in their communities.

Malnutrition

A person living in a food-insecure household may suffer from malnutrition, which results from a failure to meet nutrient requirements. This can occur as a result of consuming too little food or not enough key nutrients. There are two basic types of malnutrition. The first is macronutrient deficiency and relates to the lack of adequate protein, which is required for cell growth, maintenance, and repair. The second type of malnutrition is micronutrient deficiency and relates to inadequate vitamin and mineral intake.³ Even people who are overweight or obese can suffer from this kind of malnutrition if they eat foods that do not meet all of their nutritional needs.

At-Risk Groups

Worldwide, three main groups are most at risk of hunger: the rural poor in developing nations who also lack access to electricity and safe drinking water, the urban poor who live in expanding cities and lack the means to buy food, and victims of earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural and man-made catastrophes.⁴ In the United States, there are additional subgroups that are at risk and are more likely than others to face hunger and malnutrition. They include low-income families and the working poor, who are employed but have incomes below the federal poverty level.

Senior citizens are also a major at-risk group. Many elderly people are frail and isolated, which affects their ability to meet their dietary requirements. In addition, many also have low incomes, limited resources, and difficulty purchasing or preparing food due to health issues or poor mobility. As a result, more than six million senior citizens in the United States face the threat of hunger.⁵

The Homeless

One of the groups that struggles with hunger are the millions of homeless people across North America. A survey by the US Conference of Mayors reported that around 544,000 people across the US were experiencing homelessness in January 2016, with rates over 100 per 10,000 in some cities surveyed. Of this population, on average 14% were chronically homeless and approximately 35% were in families.⁶ Hunger and homelessness often go hand-in-hand as homeless families and adults turn to soup kitchens or food pantries or resort to begging for food.

Children

Rising hunger rates in the United States particularly affect children. Nearly one out of four children, or 21.6 percent of all American children, lives in a food-insecure household and spends at least part of the year hungry.⁴ Hunger delays their growth and development and affects their educational progress because it is more difficult for hungry or malnourished students to concentrate in school. In addition, children who are undernourished are more susceptible to contracting diseases, such as measles and pneumonia.³

Government Programs

The federal government has established a number of programs that work to alleviate hunger and ensure that many low-income families receive the nutrition they require to live a healthy life. A number of programs were strengthened by the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. This legislation authorized funding and set the policy for several key core programs that provide a safety net for food-insecure children across the United States.

The Federal Poverty Level

The federal poverty level (FPL) is used to determine eligibility for food-assistance programs. This monetary figure is the minimum amount that a family would need to acquire shelter, food, clothing, and other necessities. It is calculated based on family size and is adjusted for annual inflation. Although many people who fall below the FPL are unemployed, the working poor can qualify for food programs and other forms of public assistance if their income is less than a certain percentage of the federal poverty level, along with other qualifications.

USDA Food Assistance Programs

Government food and nutrition assistance programs that are organized and operated by the USDA work to increase food security. They provide low-income households with access to food, the tools for consuming a healthy diet, and education about nutrition. The USDA monitors the extent and severity of food insecurity via an annual survey. This contributes to the efficiency of food assistance programs as well as the effectiveness of private charities and other initiatives aimed at reducing food insecurity.²

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides monthly benefits for low-income households to purchase approved food items at authorized stores. Clients qualify for the program based on available household income, assets, and certain basic expenses. In an average month, SNAP provides benefits to more than forty million people in the United States.²

The program provides Electronic Benefit Transfers (EBT) which work similarly to a debit card. Clients receive a card with a certain allocation of money for each month that can be used only for food. In 2010, the average benefit was about $134 per person, per month and total federal expenditures for the program were $68.2 billion.²

The Special, Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children

The Special, Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides food packages to pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as to infants and children up to age five, to promote adequate intake for healthy growth and development. Most state WIC programs provide vouchers that participants use to acquire supplemental packages at authorized stores. In 2018, WIC served approximately 9.2 million participants per month⁷ at an average monthly cost of about forty-two dollars per person.⁸

The National School Lunch Program

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) ensure that children in elementary and middle schools receive at least one healthy meal each school day, or two if both the NSLP and SBP are provided. According to the USDA, these programs operate in nearly 100,000 public and nonprofit private schools and residential child-care institutions.⁹

In 2016, 30.4 million children participated in the National School Lunch Program¹⁰ and approximately 14.5 million children participated in the School Breakfast Program¹¹.

Other Food-Assistance Programs for Children

Other government programs provide meals for children after school hours and during summer breaks. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) offers meals and snacks at child-care centers, daycare homes, and after-school programs. Through CACFP, more than 4.2 million children and 138,000 adults receive nutritious meals and snacks each day.¹² The Summer Food Service Program provides meals to children during summer break. Sponsors include day camps and other recreation programs where at least half of the attendees live in households with incomes below the federal poverty level.¹³ These and other programs help to fill in the gaps during the typical day of a food-insecure child.

The Head Start Program

Head Start is a health and development program for children aged three to five, from low- income families. The philosophy behind the organization is that early intervention can help address the educational, social, and nutritional deficiencies that children from lower-income families often experience. Launched in 1965, it is one of the longest-running, poverty-related programs in the United States. Today, Head Start programs include education, meals, snacks, and access to other social services and health guidance.¹⁴

Other Forms of Assistance

Other forms of assistance include locally-operated charitable organizations, such as food banks and food pantries, which acquire food from local manufacturers, retailers, farmers, and community members to give to low-income families. Neighborhood soup kitchens provide meals to the homeless and other people in need. These and other organizations are run by nonprofit groups, as well as religious institutions, to provide an additional safety net for those in need of food.

References

1. World Hunger.org. “Hunger in America: United States Hunger and Poverty Facts.” Accessed December 12, 2022. https://www.worldhunger.org/hunger-in-america-united-states-hunger-poverty-facts-2018/.
2. Coleman-Jensen, A. et al. “Household Food Security in the United States in 2010.” US Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Report, no. ERR-125 (September 2011).
3. World Hunger. “2011 World Hunger and Poverty Facts and Statistics.” Accessed October 10, 2011. http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm.
4. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “Hunger: Frequently Asked Questions.” Accessed October 10, 2011. http://www.fao.org/hunger/en/
5. Meals on Wheels. “Our Vision and Mission.” Accessed December 14, 2022. https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/learn-more/national.
6. The United States Conference of Mayors. “Hunger and Homelessness Survey: A Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in America’s Cities, a 38-City Survey.” December 2016. Accessed December 14, 2022. https://endhomelessness.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/US-Conference-of-Mayors-Report-on-Homelessness-and-Hunger_Final.pdf.
7. US Department of Agriculture. “WIC Participant and Program Characteristics 2018 Food Packages and Costs Report.” Accessed August 2022. https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/participant-program-characteristics-2018-food-packages-costs-report 
8. US Department of Agriculture. “Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Participant and Program Characteristics 2018 Food Packages and Costs (Report Summary).” Accessed August 2022. https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/WICPC2018FoodPackage-Summary.pdf
9. US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. “National School Lunch Program.” Accessed December 14, 2022. https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/child-nutrition-programs/national-school-lunch-program/.
10. US Department of Agriculture. “National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Fact Sheet.” Accessed December 14, 2022. https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/NSLPFactSheet.pdf.
11. US Department of Agriculture. “SBP Fact Sheet.” Accessed August 2022. https://www.fns.usda.gov/sbp/sbp-fact-sheet
12. US Department of Agriculture. “Child & Adult Care Food Program.” Accessed December 14, 2022. https://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp.
13. US Department of Agriculture. “Summer Food Service Program.” st.TER 14 2011r Congress library. Last modified July 20, 2011. http://www.summerfood.usda.gov/default.htm.
14. US Department of Health and Human Services. “About the Office of Head Start.” Last reviewed February 23, 2011. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/about/index.html.