Jun 6, 2024 - Technology
2. Food insecurity, mapped
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Food insecurity is worsening the most drastically in the Midwest, where the number of food-insecure people increased by over 40% in several states from 2021 to 2022, a new report finds.
Why it matters: The national rate of food insecurity is about 13% across all counties — but some areas are struggling with hunger to a much more severe degree.
Driving the news: The data comes by way of Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks, which issues an annual "Map the Meal Gap" report.
- North Dakota (+56.8%), South Dakota (+45.6%) and Iowa (+44.6%) saw the biggest increases in the number of food-insecure people from 2021 to 2022.
- Washington, D.C. (+7.5%), Hawai'i (+10.1%) and Nevada (+11.5%) saw the lowest.
- Child food insecurity, meanwhile, also exists in every U.S. county — and is as high as 48% in at least one: East Carroll Parish, Louisiana.
How it works: The report uses the USDA's definition of food insecurity: a "lack of access to enough food for an active, healthy life due to limited financial resources."
- But Feeding America looks at a combination of factors — like unemployment, poverty, homeownership, income and disability status — to get what it says is a more accurate estimate compared to other assessments.
