Social Policy Report V25 #3. Household Food Insecruity: Serious Concerns for Child Development

I n 2009, 14.7% of households were food insecure at some time during the year. In other words, members of those households did not have access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. This is arguably the most serious nutrition-related public health problem facing the U.S. today. The serious developmental consequences of food insecurity include compromised mental and physical health and poor academic performance for children. The government’s response to inadequate sources of food includes food assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and others. Alongside these public programs are numerous private food assistance programs such as those administered through the national network of Feeding America which serve as an additional safety net for families. These services are provided through food pantries, soup kitchens, and weekend feeding programs such as the BackPack Program. This Social Policy Report provides an overview of the measurement of food security during childhood, consequences to child development, public and private food assistance programs and their effectiveness, and recommendations to researchers and policy makers. Policy recommendations focus on addressing gaps in private and public food assistance programs, addressing persistent poverty, and the role of developmental scientists in advancing research-to-policy on the consequences of food insecurity for child development.