Hunger is defined as the uneasy or painful sensation caused by a recurrent or involuntary lack of food and is a potential, although not necessary consequence of food insecurity. Over time, hunger may result in malnutrition.
Food insecurity occurs whenever the availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food, or the ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways, is limited or uncertain.
-
In Iowa, 14.4 percent of all households (172,000) are food insecure.1
-
1 in 6 (123,901) Iowa children under 18 years of age are food insecure. 2
-
Poverty is closely tied to hunger and more than 314,000 Iowans (11%) are at or below poverty level, according to the United States Census Bureau.3
- According to Food Research and Action Center’s State of the State Report the child poverty rate in Iowa is 13.7 percent or 91,506 children.
__________________________________________
1 Food Research and Action Center
2 Feeding America-Child Food Insecurity
in the U.S. 2005-2007
3 U.S. Census Bureau
4 U.S. Department of Agriculture