Food Insecurity and Hunger in Oregon: A New Look

1. Food Insecurity and Hunger in Oregon: A New Look Mark Edwards Bruce Weber Oregon State University

2. Defining our Terms �Food insecure households are uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food to meet basic needs for all household members because they had insufficient money and other resources for food.� �Hunger is involuntary hunger, during the year, of one or more household members that resulted from not being able to afford enough food.�

3. USDA Food Insecurity Scale Current Population Survey, plus Food Security Supplemental questions 18 item questionnaire 0-2 affirmatives = Food Secure 3-7 affirmatives = Food Insecure  (without hunger) 8+ affirmatives = Food Insecure  (with hunger)

4. Types of questions asked In the last 12 months, were you ever hungry but didn�t eat because you couldn�t afford enough food? In the last 12 months, did you ever eat less than you felt you should because there wasn�t enough money to buy food? In past 12 months, how often was this true? �The children were not eating enough because we just couldn't afford enough food.�

6. Comparing Oregon to the Rest of the U.S. We could have vulnerable groups that are hungrier than elsewhere (e.g., Oregon�s unemployed could be hungrier) We could have groups that are usually not as vulnerable to hunger (elsewhere) experiencing higher hunger rates in Oregon (e.g., Oregon�s employed could be hungrier) We could have larger groups that are usually vulnerable (e.g., more unemployed in Oregon)

7. Oregon Groups With Higher Hunger Rates:The Employed

9. From rates into actual numbers

15. What we need to learn Do costs of housing, childcare, and healthcare influence hunger? If so, are these cost-burdens uniquely high in Oregon (either because of high prices or low incomes)? How much does a lack of social supports (extended family, community) increase hunger?