Food Insecurity: About

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What Is Food Insecurity?

In 2006, USDA introduced new language to describe ranges of severity of food insecurity.  USDA made these changes in response to recommendations of an expert panel convened at USDA"s request by the Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) of the National Academies....The following labels define ranges of food security:

Food Security

• High food security (old label=Food security): no reported indications of food-access problems or limitations.
• Marginal food security (old label=Food security): one or two reported indications–typlcally of anxiety over food sufficiency or shortage of food in the house.  Little or no indication of changes in diet or food intake. 

Food Insecurity

• Low food security (old label=Food insecurity without hunger): reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet.  Little or no indication of reduced intake.
• Very low food security (old label=Food insecurity with hunger): reports of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake. Continue reading from USDA Economic Research Services

Learn More Online

Food Insecurity in Connecticut (Office of Legislative Research)

Food Security (University of Connectcut Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health)

Hunger and Food Insecurity (Food and Agriculatural Organization of the United Nations)

Key Statistics and Graphics (USDA Economic Research Service)

Percent of Households that Are Food-Insecure (USA Facts)

Local Resources

Basic Needs Resources (Southern Connecticut State University)

Connecticut Foodshare (Connecticut Foodshare)

Connecticut SNAP (Connecticut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)

End Hunger Connecticut! (End Hunger Connecticut)

Food Resources for Income Eligible Residents 2021 (Westport Department of Human Services)