Media Release

CONTACT: Samara Viner-Brown, MS (401) 222-5935
or Bethany Di Napoli, MS, RD 846-1497
FOR: Immediate Release
DATE: February 28, 2001

Rhode Island Food Security Survey Shows an Increase In Prevalence of Hunger Among its Poorest Families

Providence – One in four families living in low-income neighborhoods do not have enough money to buy the food they need to feed their families, according to the results of a survey released today by the Rhode Island Department of Health. The survey, which is part of the Rhode Island Food Security Monitoring Project, measures food insecurity and hunger that is a direct result of restricted financial resources.Food insecurity is defined as ‘limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.’ Based on information collected in the survey, households are categorized as either food secure, food insecure without hunger, or food insecure with hunger. Households categorized as "food insecure with hunger" have adults and children who experience physical sensations of hunger.Adults in 401 randomly selected Rhode Island households living in low-income neighborhoods responded to the telephone survey. Among families defined as food insecure, 43% suffered from hunger. This is an increase from the 1999 survey where 36% were determined to be suffering from hunger."We are concerned about the increase in the number of families experiencing hunger, since hunger can be a precursor to more serious health problems," said Patricia A. Nolan, MD, MPH, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. "Most alarming is that one in three families with children are food insecure."The survey also shows that food insecurity in Rhode Island households varies according to factors such as:

• annual incomes less than 100% of the federal poverty level (62.8%),unemployed adults (52.4%),single parent with children (42.0%),
• Hispanic ethnicity (42.0%).

A significant percentage of families who met income criteria for federal food and nutrition programs, such as WIC and Food Stamps, did not use these programs. Community-based food programs, such as SERVE, are also underutilized. These findings point to the need for improved outreach to families. "Improving participation in some of these valuable food and nutrition programs may be part of the solution to improving food security among these families at risk of hunger," says Dr. Nolan.