New Policy Brief Details the "Paradox" of Food Insecurity

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Limited resources for purchasing food has a dramatic impact on our health and our risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes. Like many health conditions, there are racial and ethnic differences in the prevalence of diabetes. For example, in California, among adults ages 50 and over, the prevalence of diabetes is 11.4% among Whites, and almost twice as high among communities of color; 22.2% among African Americans, 23.2% among Latinos, and 24.8% for American Indian/Alaskan Natives. In addition, the prevalence of diabetes is twice as high among adults with less than an 8th grade education as among adults with a college education. What is even more concerning is that even after adjusting for these socio-demographic trends, adults living with the most severe levels of food insecurity have more than twice the risk of developing diabetes as adults who are not food insecure.
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DOMESTIC FOOD ASSISTANCE Complex System Benefits Millions, but Additional Efforts Could Address Potential Inefficiency and Overlap among Smaller Programs

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Why GAO Did This Study

The federal government spends billions of dollars every year on domestic food assistance programs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers most of these programs and monitors the prevalence of food insecurity—that is, the percentage of U.S. households that were unable to afford enough food sometime during the year. Other federal agencies also fund food assistance programs; however, comprehensive and consolidated information on the multiple programs is not readily available. Congress asked GAO to examine: 1) the prevalence of food insecurity in the United States, 2) spending on food assistance programs, 3) what is known about the effectiveness of these programs in meeting program goals, and 4) the implications of providing food assistance through multiple programs and agencies. GAO’s steps included analyzing food security and program spending data, analyzing studies on program effectiveness, analyzing relevant federal laws and regulations, conducting site visits, and interviewing relevant experts and officials.

What GAO Recommends

We recommend that the Secretary of Agriculture identify and develop methods for addressing potential inefficiencies and reducing unnecessary overlap among smaller programs while ensuring access to the programs for those who are eligible. USDA agreed to consider the value of examining potential inefficiencies and overlap among smaller programs.
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Podcast: Food Insecurity — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

In this podcast, Keri Fulton and Stacy Dean, the Center’s Director of Food Assistance Policy, discuss how food insecurity affects families living near the poverty line.

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