Methods For Refining and 

Supplementing Food Security Statistics 

and Importance to Policy

Discussant: Anna Vaudin, Ph.D.

Social Science Research Analyst

Food and Nutrition Service
The findings and conclusions in this presentation are those of the author and 

should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government 

determination or policy.
Why is measuring food insecurity important?

1. We cannot fix what we cannot find
Why is measuring food insecurity important?

1. We cannot fix what we cannot find

2. Solutions are selected through proof of progress
Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Source: Bauer, 2020
◦ Legislation allowed FNS to Respond:

◦ Families First Coronavirus Response Act of March 2020

◦ SNAP Emergency Allotments - max allotment

◦ Access to P-EBT (Pandemic-EBT)

◦ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 

◦ Increase in SNAP benefits by 15%

◦ Expansion of SNAP online purchasing

◦ Additional ARPA assistance:

◦ Increase in Child Tax Credit, Earned-Income Tax Credit, and Child and Dependent Care 

Tax Credit

◦ Extension of unemployment benefits

◦ Did this assistance make a difference?

Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Source: Food and Nutrition 

Service, N.D.
Source: Lacko, Allison; Sept. 14, 2022
Source: Census Pulse Data Brief; 

Note: Food Insufficiency refers to Oct 5, 2022

sometimes or often not having enough 

food in the household in the last 7 days.

Equity

and Food 

Security
FNS Studies Measuring Food Security

◦ Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children demonstration 

project

◦ Compared $30 vs $60 benefit (per child per month)

◦ $30 benefit as effective as $60 benefit at reducing VLFS-C

◦ $60 benefit more effective at reducing FI-C, and VLFS and FI in households 

and adults

◦ Effect of SNAP on Food Security

◦ Compared FS in new SNAP participants vs those on SNAP for 6 months

◦ Cross-sectional comparison: FI 4.6% lower in those on SNAP for 6 months

◦ Longitudinal comparison: FI decreased 10.6% after 6 months

◦ Also saw decreases in VLFS and in FI-C

Sources: Collins et al., 2014; 

Mabli et al., 2013
White House Conference on Hunger, 

Nutrition, and Health (Sept. 28, 2022) 

◦ First since 1969

◦ Coordinated strategy to “end hunger, improve nutrition and physical 

activity, and close the disparities surrounding them”

◦ Five pillars:

1) Improve Food Access and Affordability

2) Integrate Nutrition and Health

3) Empower All Consumers to Make and Have Access to Healthy Choices

4) Support Physical Activity for All

5) Enhance Nutrition and Food Security Research

Sources: U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, N.D; The 

White House, 2022
White House Conference on Hunger, 

Nutrition, and Health (Sept. 28, 2022) 

◦ First since 1969

◦ Coordinated strategy to “end hunger, improve nutrition and physical 

activity, and close the disparities surrounding them”

◦ Five pillars:

1) Improve Food Access and Affordability

2) Integrate Nutrition and Health

3) Empower All Consumers to Make and Have Access to Healthy Choices

4) Support Physical Activity for All

5) Enhance Nutrition and Food Security Research

Sources: U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, N.D; The 

White House, 2022
What’s next for Food Insecurity Measurement?

◦ Tools that can be adapted to populations that have additional access challenges

◦ Older adults, people with disabilities

◦ Food Insecurity screenings in healthcare settings (Pillar 2 of White House strategy)

◦ Broader equity for those with limited English proficiency (refugees, immigrants)

◦ Real-time monitoring of food insecurity

◦ Application of continuous food security scales
THANK YOU!
References

◦ Bauer, L. (2020, November 23). Hungry at Thanksgiving: A Fall 2020 Update on Food Security in the U.S. Brookings: Up Front. 

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/11/23/hungry-at-thanksgiving-a-fall-2020-update-on-food-insecurity-in-the-u-s/. 

◦ United States Census Bureau. (2022, October 5). Census Pulse Data Brief.

◦ Collins et al. (2014). Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (SEBTC) Demonstration: Evaluation Findings for the Third Implementation 

Year. Prepared by Abt Associates, Mathematica Policy Research, and Maximus for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition 

Service. Project Officer, Chan Chanhatasilpa. 

◦ Food and Nutrition Service. (N.D.) FNS Responds to COVID-19. https://www.fns.usda.gov/coronavirus. 

◦ Lacko, Allison. (2022, September 14). The Pandemic Disrupted a Decade-Long Decline in Food Insecurity in 2020, but Government Policy Has 

Been a Critical Support. Food Research & Action Center Blog Posts. https://frac.org/blog/food-insecurity-and-2022-poverty-reports.

◦ Mabli, James, Jim Ohls, Lisa Dragoset, Laura Castner, and Betsy Santos. (2013) Measuring the Effect of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program (SNAP) Participation on Food Security. Prepared by Mathematica Policy Research for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and 

Nutrition Service.

◦ The White House. (N.D.) American Rescue Plan: President Biden’s Plan to Provide Direct Relief to Americans, Contain COVID-19, and Rescue 

the Economy. https://www.whitehouse.gov/american-rescue-plan/. 

◦ The White House. Biden-Harris Administration National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. September 2022. Available at 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/White-House-National-Strategy-on-Hunger-Nutrition-and-Health-FINAL.pdf

◦ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (N.D.) White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. https://health.gov/ourwork/nutrition-physical-activity/white-house-conference-hunger-nutrition-and-health.