Some Americans Lack Food, but USDA Won't Call Them Hungry

Washington Post ^ | 11-16-2006 | Elizabeth Williamson

[Cagey]

The U.S. government has vowed that Americans will never be hungry again. But they may experience "very low food security."

Every year, the Agriculture Department issues a report that measures Americans' access to food, and it has consistently used the word "hunger" to describe those who can least afford to put food on the table. But not this year.

Mark Nord, the lead author of the report, said "hungry" is "not a scientifically accurate term for the specific phenomenon being measured in the food security survey." Nord, a USDA sociologist, said, "We don't have a measure of that condition."

The USDA said that 12 percent of Americans -- 35 million people -- could not put food on the table at least part of last year. Eleven million of them reported going hungry at times. Beginning this year, the USDA has determined "very low food security" to be a more scientifically palatable description for that group.

The United States has set a goal of reducing the proportion of food-insecure households to 6 percent or less by 2010, or half the 1995 level, but it is proving difficult. The number of hungriest Americans has risen over the past five years. Last year, the total share of food-insecure households stood at 11 percent.

Less vexing has been the effort to fix the way hunger is described. Three years ago, the USDA asked the Committee on National Statistics of the National Academies "to ensure that the measurement methods USDA uses to assess households' access -- or lack of access -- to adequate food and the language used to describe those conditions are conceptually and operationally sound."

Among several recommendations, the panel suggested that the USDA scrap the word hunger, which "should refer to a potential consequence of food insecurity that, ......

[ClearCase_guy]

Yo! Elizabeth! The Democrats WON! You're not supposed to do these stories any more. Sheesh!

[Jeff Chandler]

Starving Americans, sick Americans, oppressed Americans, all in need of a savior: Queen Rodham. Expect plenty of these stories over the next ywo years.

[Cagey]

Last year, the total share of food-insecure households stood at 11 percent.

I'm concerned that there will be severe damage to their self-esteem when these folks find out they're food-insecure.

And, if that does happen I hope the feds will offer Crisis Intervention Teams to these desperate food-insecure individuals.

[Teacher317]

Obesity is a far biggger problem for America's poor... and that says a LOT about our nation.

[Alouette]

Eleven million of them reported going hungry at times.

Does that include people who are on a diet to lose weight? Probably not, then the number would be much higher.

[Wormwood]

What a stupid policy.

[July 4th]

I'm sitting at my desk right now, too busy to stop for lunch. I am experiencing food insecurity as well as being f***ing hungry!

[raisincane]

I live in a small city with a population of 32,000. We have more food pantries than grocery stores.

[Cagey]

Using a term like "Food-Insecurity" is right out of the United Nations play-book and now our own USDA is using it.

I wish Republicans had been in charge these last six years so we wouldn't have this kind of PC nonsense.

[Gingersnap]

Food insecurity is now used because most "food insecure" people are fat. They may run out of cheetos and beer at the end of the month but not for long enough to reduce weight or avoid fatness diseases.

The term also applies to people who are homeless (even though free food is easily available) as well as crackheads who blow all their money on rock and never buy cereal for their kids.

[raybbr]

Show me one starving child in the U.S? It's a complete fallacy.

[raybbr]

This year, when the report failed to appear in October as it usually does, Democrats accused the Bush administration of delaying its release until after the midterm elections. Nord denied the contention, saying, "This is a schedule that was set several months ago."

Snip...

Anti-hunger advocates say the new words sugarcoat a national shame. "The proposal to remove the word 'hunger' from our official reports is a huge disservice to the millions of Americans who struggle daily to feed themselves and their families," said David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World, an anti-hunger advocacy group. "We . . . cannot hide the reality of hunger among our citizens."

OH jeez. Now republicans are anti anti-hunger advocates. We really want people to suffer hunger.

[cherry]

I have diet Pepsi insecurity....yes, I'm admitting to it.....

[Polyxene]

"Show me one starving child in the U.S? It's a complete fallacy."

Got that right! Free Breakfast Program. Free Lunch Program. Food Stamps. WIC. ADC. Some schools even have the free breakfast/free lunch programs in the summer! SHEESH! Can't these parents buy a loaf of bread and some peanut butter (and maybe jelly)??!!

[Alouette]

David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World, an anti-hunger advocacy group.

Who pays for his food?

[hophead]

America, the ONLY country in the world where the poor are FAT.

[hophead]

"Show me one starving child in the U.S? It's a complete fallacy."

I understand your sentiment but you are wrong. There are many hungry children in the US. Most if not all are born to poor mothers without fathers and the mothers are spending the welfare $$ on crack and clothes. They really don't give a damn about their kids.

Look at that video with the parents getting their little ones to fight. They were treating their kids just like putting their pit bulls into a ring. Thats how they perceive their kids, as animals. Very sad.

[Cagey]

There are many hungry children in the US.

I agree with your fact but I think that the perception by many is that this is somehow America's fault when in reality it is the individual responsible for that child that is not doing what they should be doing in the first place. God knows there is an over abundance of government programs and private charities that could provide more than enough.

There's a common believe that because America is such a wealthy country no one should be starving. Well, as you say, there are many who are but is sure as hell isn't the fault of the rest of us.

I saw that video you mentioned for the first time this morning and I'm sad to say, I could believe my eyes. I'm that much of a cynic anymore.

[Alouette]

I'm sitting at my desk right now, too busy to stop for lunch.

You don't keep a drawer of snacks in your cube?