Child Hunger in America

Child Hunger in America

Understanding the Issue

We all, at one time or another, have declared that we are hungry; fueled by a sensation caused by lack of food or the desire for an afterschool or midnight snack. There is a difference, however, between a craving or stomach growl and having to skip a meal or several meals because there is no food in your house.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 48.8 million Americans are food insecure, meaning they don’t get enough food to live active, healthy lives. This includes 16 million children, or nearly one in five children across the country, who face hunger throughout the year.
Hunger in America is about the inability to obtain sufficient food for the household. Food insecurity exists in 14.5 percent of all U.S. households. Food insecurity also exists in:

• 35.1 percent of all single-mom households

• 40.2 percent of all households at or below the poverty line

Chronic, mild undernutrition occurs when financial resources are low and working families have to make a choice between paying rent to keep a roof overhead or buying groceries to put food on the table. Within the past decade, and influenced even more by the recent downturn in the economy, we have seen an increase in the working poor, those who are employed yet living paycheck to paycheck.

The most recent information on poverty in America reveals that for a family of four, $22,113 is the poverty threshold, which translates to less the $425 per week for all of a family's expenses, including housing, utilities, medical, food and more. For families making so little, it means they sometimes have to make tough choices between paying their bills and rent or mortgage and buying groceries.

An Invisible Problem

The issue of child hunger is a hidden problem: you can't always immediately see the difference between a child who went to bed hungry and a child who ate three well-balanced meals. It doesn’t look like the physical effects of starvation that you see in other countries, but teachers can tell you how hunger impacts America’s classrooms.

In fact, 99 percent of America’s teachers agree: proper nutrition and getting enough to eat has a direct impact on a child’s ability to learn. Even though we might not see it, hunger lives in our classrooms, playgrounds, neighborhoods and our own backyard.

The Impact of Hunger

A recurring lack of access to food can lead to malnutrition over time. Children who don't eat enough nutrition meals – even for a short time – can experience physical, emotional and cognitive development problems. Research indicates that even mild malnutrition experienced by young children during critical periods of growth impacts behavior, school performance and overall cognitive development.

Children who struggle with hunger face additional problems, including:

• Slower growth and inhibited brain development

• More illnesses, including stomachaches, headaches, colds, ear infections and fatigue

• Greater susceptibility to obesity and its harmful health consequences

• Lower concentration and alertness in school

• Lower academic achievement

• Increased likelihood of developing psychosocial and behavioral issues, such as:

• More aggressive behavior

• Higher levels of hyperactivity, anxiety and/or passivity

• Greater need for mental health services

• Less energy for social interactions

• Unable to adapt as effectively to environmental stresses

Research shows that individuals who suffer from hunger in childhood also have long-term problems. They are not as well prepared physically, mentally, emotionally or socially to perform effectively in the contemporary workforce.Collectively, they have lower levels of educational and technical skills, which reduces the overall competitiveness of the workforce.

In addition, chronic undernutrition can also lead to greater health care costs for families with children who have experienced hunger, and in the future for employers of those individuals who faced hunger as a child.

It Takes More Than Food To Fight Hunger

We know we can't solve the issue alone. We are committed to building a community of people who are passionate about ending child hunger and enabling access to nutrition education. We envision a nation, and ultimately a world, where children, regardless of income, have access to the food and facts they need to eat nutritiously and live balanced lifestyles—fundamentals to help kids succeed in school and in life.