Food insecurity in the United States of America: An examination of race/ethnicity and nativity

Year Published:

Abstract

Food insecurity is a persistent problem in the United States and is disproportionately distributed across racial/ethnic groups, with some evidence that non-Latino blacks and Latinos experience higher rates than non-Latino whites. But no nationally-representative study examines how race/ethnicity affects food insecurity for immigrants in the United States. Using new assimilation theory and the 1999–2010 waves (N = 32,464) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), this study investigated the relationship between food insecurity and both race/ethnicity and nativity status. Results, when socioeconomic status is held constant, provide evidence for a nonwhite/white divide in food insecurity for both immigrants and the native-born. That is, blacks and Latinos – regardless of nativity status – are significantly more food insecure than both foreign- and native-born whites. These results provide insight into a continuing pattern of racial/ethnic inequality in the United States.

Citation

Relevant Evidence Summaries

The evidence was reviewed and included in the following summaries: 

What works to increase food security in newcomer populations?

This evidence summary summarizes the state of available evidence regarding the impacts of various intervention types on the level of food insecurity faced by newcomers.

About this study

AGE: Multiple Age Groups

DIRECTION OF EVIDENCE: No evidence about impact

FULL TEXT AVAILABILITY: Paid

HOST COUNTRY: United States

HOST COUNTRY INCOME: High

REGION OF ORIGIN OF PARTICIPANT(S): Multiple Regions

STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE: No evidence about impact

TYPE OF STUDY: Suggestive evidence

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2017

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