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- Definition: Estimated number of children ages 0-17 living in households with limited or uncertain access to adequate food, by U.S. congressional district (e.g., in 2017, 1,638,430 California children lived in food insecure households).Estimated percentage of children ages 0-17 living in households with limited or uncertain access to adequate food, by U.S. congressional district (e.g., in 2017, 18.1% of California children lived in food insecure households).
- Data Source: Gundersen, C., et al. Map the Meal Gap 2019. Feeding America (May 2019).
- Footnote: These estimates are based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS). State-level estimates are derived from CPS estimates for congressional districts. For detailed methodology, see Feeding America's technical brief. Data prior to 2011 are not comparable with these data because of differences in methodology.
Learn More About Food Security
- Measures of Food Security on Kidsdata.org
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Kidsdata.org provides the following indicators related to food security:
- The estimated number and percentage of children ages 0-17 living in households with limited or uncertain access to adequate food, as calculated by Feeding America; these data also are shown for U.S. congressional districts
- The number of perinatal women and children ages 0-5 redeeming Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food vouchers, by participant type; these data come from the California Dept. of Public Health
- The number of individuals (children and adults), and the number and percentage of households by race/ethnicity, participating in CalFresh, California's implementation of the federal SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) or Food Stamps Program; these data are provided by the California Dept. of Social Services (CDSS)*
*According to CDSS, more than half of all CalFresh participants are children. -
- Food Security
- Family Income and Poverty
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- Children in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity (Regions of 65,000 Residents or More)
- Children Living in Areas of Concentrated Poverty
- Children in Deep Poverty (Regions of 65,000 Residents or More)
- Median Family Income, by Family Type (Regions of 65,000 Residents or More)
- Income Level for Children Relative to Poverty (Regions of 65,000 Residents or More)
- Income Level for Children Relative to Poverty, by Family Type (Regions of 65,000 Residents or More)
- Children Living in Low-Income Working Families (Regions of 65,000 Residents or More)
- Children in Poverty - Supplemental Poverty Measure (California & U.S. Only)
- Poverty Thresholds - California Poverty Measure, by Family Composition and Housing Tenure
- Children in Poverty - California Poverty Measure
- Children in Deep Poverty - California Poverty Measure
- Poverty-Reducing Effects of the Social Safety Net - California Poverty Measure, by Program Type and Poverty Level (California Only)
- Self-Sufficiency Standard, by Family Composition
- Families Living Below Self-Sufficiency Standard
- Children Participating in CalWORKs
- Student Demographics
- Childhood Adversity and Resilience
- Nutrition
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- Children Drinking One or More Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Per Day
- Children Who Eat Five or More Servings of Fruits and Vegetables Daily, by Age Group
- Children Who Ate Fast Food Two or More Times in the Past Week, by Age Group
- Students Who Ate Breakfast in the Past Day, by Grade Level
- Healthy Food Choices Provided at School (Staff Reported)
- Why This Topic Is Important
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Almost one in five California children live in households with limited or uncertain access to adequate food (1). California consistently has a higher percentage of children living in food-insecure households than the U.S. overall (1). Food-insecure children are more likely to experience a host of health problems, including developmental, cognitive, behavioral, and mental health issues (2). Among pregnant women, food insecurity is associated with negative physical and mental health outcomes, as well as pregnancy complications (2). Children and communities of color are disproportionately affected by food insecurity (2).
Food assistance programs, such as food stamps (i.e., the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or CalFresh in California) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provide a safety net to help ensure that low-income children, expectant mothers, and families get adequate nutrition. These programs have been shown to alleviate poverty, reduce adverse birth outcomes, and improve children's health in general (3, 4).For more information on food security, please see kidsdata.org’s Research & Links section. Also see kidsdata.org’s Student Demographics topic, which includes information about students eligible to receive free or reduced price school meals, and topics under Family Economics.
Sources for this narrative:
1. As cited on kidsdata.org, Children living in food insecure households. (2019). Feeding America.
2. California Department of Public Health, Office of Health Equity. (2015). Portrait of promise: The California statewide plan to promote health and mental health equity. Retrieved from: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OHE/CDPH Document Library/Accessible-CDPH_OHE_Disparity_Report_Final (2).pdf
3. Gundersen, C. (2015). Food assistance programs and child health. The Future of Children, 25(1), 91-109. Retrieved from: https://futureofchildren.princeton.edu/sites/futureofchildren/files/media/policies_to_promote_child_health_25_full_journal.pdf
4. Rossin-Slater, M. (2015). Promoting health in early childhood. The Future of Children, 25(1), 35-64. Retrieved from: https://futureofchildren.princeton.edu/sites/futureofchildren/files/media/policies_to_promote_child_health_25_full_journal.pdf
- How Children Are Faring
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According to 2017 estimates, 18% of California children (more than 1.6 million) lived in households with uncertain or inadequate access to food, down from 27% (nearly 2.5 million children) in 2011. At the local level, the share of children living in food insecure households ranged from 13% to 30% across counties and congressional districts. Although the percentage of food-insecure children has been on the decline statewide and nationally since 2011, California rates consistent exceed those for the U.S. overall.
In January 2018, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program healthy food vouchers were redeemed for 951,990 children and perinatal women statewide, a drop of more than 30% compared with 2010. Across all years for which data are available, the majority of WIC's California participants were children ages 1-5 (548,127 in 2018), followed by infants (190,902 in 2018) and prenatal mothers (83,717 in 2018).
The CalFresh (Food Stamps) supplemental nutrition program served almost 4 million California children and adults in 1.9 million households in July 2018—more than double the number of participants served in 2000. From 2008 through 2018, Hispanic/Latino and white households together accounted for around three-quarters of participating households statewide. - Policy Implications
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Food insecurity—a lack of consistent, dependable access to enough food for healthy living—is a major public health problem in California and the U.S., affecting millions of children and families (1, 2). Policymakers can help by supporting efforts to ameliorate poverty, preserve and strengthen food assistance programs, and expand access to nutritious, affordable foods in low-income communities (2).
Food and nutrition assistance programs address food insecurity by helping low-income children and families access nutritious and affordable meals. However, many eligible families are not receiving this assistance (3, 4). For example, it is estimated that about half of all California children are eligible for CalFresh (food stamps), though only one-quarter participate in the program (3).
Policy and program options that could improve food security include:- Continuing to address under-enrollment in food assistance programs—such as CalFresh and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program—by improving public awareness and perceptions of the programs, and increasing integration and coordination across nutrition and other safety net programs, which could help streamline enrollment and service delivery (3)
- Promoting robust school and summer nutrition programs, which provide low-income children with access to healthy food before, during, and after school, as well as during the summer months; as part of this, continuing efforts to make it simpler and less stigmatizing for children to receive these meals (4, 5, 6)
- Supporting the work of food councils and community groups that are promoting access to sustainable, affordable, and nutritious food sources through efforts such as community and home gardens, farmers markets, urban agriculture, and public education (2)
- Maintaining, strengthening, and building on state and local policies aimed at reducing poverty among working families in California, including the CalWORKs program, Earned Income Tax Credit, and minimum wage standards (7)
For more policy recommendations and research on this topic, see kidsdata.org's Research & Links section or visit California Food Policy Advocates and Food Research and Action Center. Also see Policy Implications on kidsdata.org under Nutrition and topics related to Family Economics.
Sources for this narrative:
1. Coleman-Jensen, A., et al. (2019). Household food security in the United States in 2018. (Economic Research Report No. 270). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Retrieved from: https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=94848
2. California Department of Public Health, Office of Health Equity. (2015). Portrait of promise: The California statewide plan to promote health and mental health equity. Retrieved from: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OHE/CDPH Document Library/Accessible-CDPH_OHE_Disparity_Report_Final (2).pdf
3. Danielson, C., & Bohn, S. (2016). Improving California children's participation in nutrition programs. Public Policy Institute of California. Retrieved from: https://www.ppic.org/publication/improving-california-childrens-participation-in-nutrition-programs
4. California Food Policy Advocates. (2017). School meal access and participation: California statewide summary 2015-16. Retrieved from: https://cfpa.net/school-meal-analysis-2015-16
5. Fischer Colby, A. (2017). School's out...Who ate? A report on summer nutrition in California. California Food Policy Advocates. Retrieved from: https://cfpa.net/sowa-2017
6. California Food Policy Advocates. (2018). After school programs and meals: Opportunities to support working families in California. Retrieved from: https://cfpa.net/ChildNutrition/AfterSchool/CFPAPublications/AfterSchoolMeals-Brief-2018.pdf
7. Danielson, C. (2020). California's future: Safety net. Public Policy Institute of California. Retrieved from: https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-future-safety-net - Research & Links
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- Websites with Related Information
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- CalFresh Program. California Dept. of Social Services.
- California Association of Food Banks
- California Food Policy Advocates
- California WIC Association
- Center for the Study of Social Policy: Income and Food Security
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Food Assistance
- Feeding America
- Food Research and Action Center
- No Kid Hungry. Share Our Strength.
- Nutrition Policy Institute. University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources.
- Public Policy Institute of California
- Roots of Change. Public Health Institute.
- U.S. Dept. of Agriculture: Food and Nutrition Assistance
- Urban Institute: Hunger and Food Assistance
- Women, Infants and Children Program. California Dept. of Public Health.
- Key Reports and Research
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- After School Programs and Meals: Opportunities to Support Working Families in California. (2018). California Food Policy Advocates.
- An Equitable Food System: Good for Families, Communities, and the Economy. (2016). PolicyLink & Marguerite Casey Foundation.
- Childhood Food Insecurity in the U.S.: Trends, Causes, and Policy Options. (2014). The Future of Children. Gundersen, C., & Ziliak, J. P.
- Food Assistance Programs and Child Health. (2015). The Future of Children. Gundersen, C.
- Food Security in the U.S. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
- Foreground to Horizon: Opportunities for WIC’s Next Half Century. (2016). California WIC Association.
- How Hungry is America? (2018). Food Research and Action Center.
- Impossible Choices: Teens and Food Insecurity in America. (2016). Urban Institute & Feeding America. Popkin, S. J., et al.
- Improving California Children’s Participation in Nutrition Programs. (2016). Public Policy Institute of California. Danielson, C., & Bohn, S.
- No Food for Thought: Food Insecurity Is Related to Poor Mental Health and Lower Academic Performance Among Students in California’s Public University System. (2018). Journal of Health Psychology. Martinez, S. M., et al.
- Portrait of Promise: The California Statewide Plan to Promote Health and Mental Health Equity. (2015). California Dept. of Public Health, Office of Health Equity.
- Promoting Food Security for All Children. (2015). Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Community Pediatrics & Committee on Nutrition.
- School Breakfast Program. Food Research and Action Center.
- School’s Out…Who Ate? A Report on Summer Nutrition in California. (2017). California Food Policy Advocates. Fischer Colby, A.
- The CalFresh Food Assistance Program. (2018). Public Policy Institute of California. Danielson, C.
- The Connections Between Food Insecurity, the Federal Nutrition Programs, and Student Behavior. (2018). Food Research and Action Center.
- Understanding the Connections: Food Insecurity and Obesity. (2015). Food Research and Action Center. Hartline-Grafton, H.
- WIC Facts and Figures. California WIC Association.
- WIC Works: Addressing the Nutrition and Health Needs of Low-Income Families for 40 Years. (2017). Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Carlson, S., & Neuberger, Z.
- County/Regional Reports
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- 2018-19 California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being. Children Now.
- Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County. Orange County Children's Partnership.
- Community Health Improvement Plan for Los Angeles County 2015-2020. Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health.
- Current Research on Hunger in San Diego County. San Diego Hunger Coalition.
- Food Insecurity in Los Angeles County. (2017). Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health.
- Important Facts About Kern’s Children. Kern County Network for Children.
- Key Indicators of Health by Service Planning Area. (2017). Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health.
- Live Well San Diego Report Card on Children, Families, and Community, 2019. (2020). San Diego Children’s Initiative. McBrayer, S. L., et al.
- San Mateo County All Together Better. San Mateo County Health.
- Santa Clara County Children's Data Book. Santa Clara County Office of Education, et al.
- Santa Monica Youth Wellbeing Report Card. Santa Monica Cradle to Career.
- More Data Sources For Food Security
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- CalFresh Data Dashboard. California Dept. of Social Services.
- California Family Needs Calculator. Insight Center for Community Economic Development.
- California Health and Human Services Open Data Portal. California Health and Human Services Agency.
- California Health Interview Survey. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
- Child Trends Databank: Food Insecurity
- County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
- KIDS COUNT Data Center. Annie E. Casey Foundation.
- Map the Meal Gap. Feeding America.
- Maternal and Infant Health Assessment (MIHA) California Dept. of Public Health & University of California San Francisco.
- National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) National Center for Health Statistics.
- Nutrition and Food Insecurity Profiles. California Food Policy Advocates.
- SNAP-Ed County Profiles. California Dept. of Public Health.
- State of the States: Profiles of Hunger, Poverty, and Federal Nutrition Programs. Food Research and Action Center.
- The Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey. Urban Institute.
- U.S. Dept. of Agriculture: Data Products
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