The Determinants of Food Insecurity among Food Bank Clients in the United States

Gundersen, Craig; Engelhard, Emily; Hake, Monica

doi:10.1111/joca.12157

Cited by 39 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…In children, poor health and a decline in school performance are the most common effects of limited access to nutritionally adequate food (Coleman-Jensen 2010). Poor health leads to higher healthcare costs, which becomes an economic burden that further exacerbates food insecurity (Gundersen, Engelhard, and Hake 2017). In addition, mental and social effects of food insecurity can lead to developmental and behavioral problems (Morrissey et al 2016).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food Assistance Deserts in Central Florida: Identifying Service Gaps Using Spatial Analysis

Curran

Armenia

2021

Journal of Applied Social Science

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Food assistance works to relieve food insecurity, a persistent problem in the United States disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. In this study, we take a closer look at geographical service gaps in food assistance using Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis to measure food assistance deserts, a term for areas where the nearest food assistance location is more than a mile away from the population centroid of a block group. By combining geographic data with data from the American Community Survey, we identified characteristics and predictors of food assistance deserts. Our results indicate that locations of food assistance in Central Florida are generally responsive to the needs of the community but are lacking in more affluent areas. This research was made possible through a partnership between our institution and Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. The affordability and accessibility of this project should serve as a model for assessing spatial inequality in social service agencies through collaborative community-based research.

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food Assistance Deserts in Central Florida: Identifying Service Gaps Using Spatial Analysis

Curran

Armenia

2021

Journal of Applied Social Science

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“…Thus, food insecurity may remain high into the near future. A 2017 study suggested that individual increases in income for food-insecure households are not necessarily followed by a corresponding increase in food security due to the complex interconnected pressures experienced by low-income and food insecure individuals [24]. Their finding is more broadly corroborated by evidence from the 2007 to 2009 Great Recession.…”

Section: Food Insecurity In the United States And Responses To Itmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strategizing Dinner: How American Pantry Users Think about Feeding Their Families with Limited Resources

et al. 2021

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The financial crisis associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated food insecurity in the United States. The emergency provides an opportunity to re-think the American nutrition-assistance system. In this paper, we describe findings from a community-based project conducted in urban Alaska before the pandemic in collaboration with a local food pantry. We conducted semi-structured interviews with nineteen food recipients, half of them twice, about how they procure food and prepare their meals in the context of juggling other expenses and demands on their time. What participants in our study do fits mainstream American patterns. Our study adds to the knowledge base by focusing on how families think strategically about their situations in context. In addition to cost, participants take nutrition and flavor into account. Most importantly, they do not think about assistance programs in isolation but holistically.

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“…Our outcome measure is whether a NSP participant's household was food insecure in the 30 days before the interview. The survey used a 6-item food security module-a subset of the 18 questions used in the Current Population Survey (CPS)-because of concerns about older respondents experiencing survey fatigue; this shorter module is typically used as an alternative to the 18-item module to decrease respondent burden (16,17). Its main weakness relative to the 18-item module is that it does not satisfactorily capture the more severe range of food insecurity (16).…”

Section: Outcome Measurementioning

confidence: 99%

Determinants of Food Insecurity Among Congregate Meal Participants: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Participant Information Matched to Geographic and Service Provider Data

Mabli¹,

Shenk²

2020

J Aging Res & Lifestyle

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Background: As people age, they are more likely to face financial, medical, and mobility related challenges that can put them at risk of food insecurity. This is a serious public health concern that has been associated with many adverse health outcomes.Objectives: This study examined factors associated with food insecurity among older adults who receive congregate meals from the Administration on Aging’s Nutrition Services Program. Combining participant, geographic, and provider data allowed for a more detailed assessment of older adult food insecurity than is typically possible using other national surveys. Design: A cross-sectional study. We conducted a cross-sectional data analysis using national survey data from the Administration on Aging’s Nutrition Services Program Outcomes Survey, conducted from 2015 to 2016. The data were linked to provider data from the meal site where participants ate. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate the associations between food insecurity and demographic, household, geographic, and provider-level characteristics and circumstances. Setting: Interviews with congregate meal participants were conducted in person at congregate meal sites or another preferred place. Participants: A total of 520 older adults were included as study participants. All older adults were participating in the Nutrition Services Program and receiving congregate meals at the time of the survey interview. All participants were at least 67 years old. Measurements: This study used a 6-item food security measure as the dependent variable. Older adults who answered at least 3 of the 6 questions affirmatively were considered food insecure. Food security was assessed over a 30-day recall period. Results: 18% of congregate meal participants lived in food insecure households. Among congregate meal participants, having low income, difficulty reaching family and friends, past military service, and mobility challenges, and attending a site that provided nutrition counseling were associated with increased food insecurity (most odds ratios ranged from 1.1 to 2.6). Older age, geographic access to food, certain chronic health conditions, and provider-offered nutrition screening and social activities reduced the odds of experiencing food insecurity (most odds ratios ranged from 0.2 to 0.4). Conclusions: Although the Nutrition Services Program helps to alleviate food insecurity, a nontrivial percentage of participants remain food insecure. Nutrition programs can help address clients’ food access limitations by broadening nutrition screenings at meal sites to include more comprehensive assessments based on non-traditional risk factors for food insecurity.

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The Determinants of Food Insecurity among Food Bank Clients in the United States

Cited by 39 publications

References 23 publications

Food Assistance Deserts in Central Florida: Identifying Service Gaps Using Spatial Analysis

Food Assistance Deserts in Central Florida: Identifying Service Gaps Using Spatial Analysis

Strategizing Dinner: How American Pantry Users Think about Feeding Their Families with Limited Resources

Determinants of Food Insecurity Among Congregate Meal Participants: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Participant Information Matched to Geographic and Service Provider Data

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