Primary Source: Abstract from the 2008 Household Food Security in the US report published by the USDA

 "Eighty-five percent of American households were food secure throughout the entire year

in 2008, meaning that they had access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life

for all household members. The remaining households (14.6 percent) were food insecure

at least some time during the year, including 5.7 percent with very low food security—

meaning that the food intake of one or more household members was reduced and their

eating patterns were disrupted at times during the year because the household lacked money

and other resources for food. Prevalence rates of food insecurity and very low food secu-

rity were up from 11.1 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively, in 2007, and were the highest

recorded since 1995, when the first national food security survey was conducted. The

typical food-secure household spent 31 percent more on food than the typical food-insecure

household of the same size and household composition. Fifty-five percent of all food-inse-

cure households participated in one or more of the three largest Federal food and nutrition

assistance programs during the month prior to the 2008 survey."

source: Household Food Security in the

United States, 2008 report USDA

Mark Nord, marknord@ers.usda.gov

Margaret Andrews, mandrews@ers.usda.gov

and Steven Carlson

to view the entire report click this link

 http://www.bread.org/hunger/us/facts.html
to find information about applying for food stamps through the federal government's SNAP program visit  http://accessnebraska.ne.gov/index.htm