Foodsectornews.com - Food Insecurity Declines in America

Food Insecurity Declines in America

Sunday, 17 June 2007

US Agriculture department said that almost 90% of American homes in 2005 were food secure. The department stated that food insecurity has declined to 11 % in 2005, first decline in last six years

In 2005, 35 Million Americans suffered from food insecurity that means that they didn't have sufficient resources or money to buy food required for active & healthy living. This represented a considerable decline of 3 Million from 38 Million people facing food scarcity in 2004.

However, people having very low levels of food security increased slightly in 2005 to 10.8 Million, increasing from around 10.7 Million a year before. That makes it 24 Million Americans with low level of food security, decreasing from around 27.5 Million people in 2004.

Experts say that the numbers indicate effectiveness of food stamps & school meals, but more efforts are required to provide food to the needy.

The report has not received positive response among some people mainly because of the delay in the release of the report. They believe had the report been issued before elections, Democrats wouldn't have been able to accuse Bush govt. of food insecurity in US.

Among the US states, Hawaii witnessed the biggest decline in food insecurity from 12.9% in 1998 to around 7.8 % last year. South Carolina witnessed the highest increase, 15.5 % in 2005 from 11% in 1998.

Report has also been criticized on not using the world 'hunger' to explain the hunger levels in the country. 'Low food security' & 'very low food security' have replaced the older phrases of 'food insecurity without hunger' & 'food insecurity with hunger', respectively. Experts believe hunger was a more 'real word' and not using the word is a disservice to Americans.

As per a food industry analyst at RNCOS, "it hardly matters what people call it. If 35 Million people are unable to get enough food to lead a healthy life in a rich country like America, it is quite shocking. However, the good thing is that hunger levels have declined."