A recent MU study found that food insecurity and hunger among children still persist, even in food-secure households and despite food assistance programs.
Children are considered food insecure if, in the last year, they did not eat enough, did not eat for a day, skipped a meal or were hungry because their family could not afford adequate food. “We found that household food security does not equate to food security for children within those households,” says ManSoo Yu, assistant professor of social work. “This is alarming considering previous research that indicates food insecure children are more at-risk for being overweight, having poor health and poor academic performance.”
Yu found that informal assistance through churches, food pantries and soup kitchens, was related to improved child food security. Participation in the food stamp program was related to increased food security among children in Caucasian households, but not in African-American households.