Hunger and food insecurity in America

The USDA has recently published the latest US hunger statistics: 35 million people live in households that have either "very low or low food security". To put it more simply and bluntly, 12% of the total US population doesn't have enough to eat.

While the hunger rate is down somewhat in 2005, it remains higher than in 1999-2001. “It is simply unacceptable that after years of economic growth, 35.1 million people in this country face a constant struggle against hunger,” said Jim Weill, president of the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). “While the small drop is a move in the right direction, we should be far from satisfied. Change is moving too slowly for those still struggling, and we need to make ending hunger a national priority.

Click here for a table showing how the 50 US states rank on hunger