Food Insecurity among Children
Summary Indicator Report Data View Options
Food Insecurity Rate by County, Children Age 0 to 17 Years, New Mexico, 2023
Food Insecurity Rate by U.S. States, Children Age 0-17 Years, 2023
Why Is This Important?
Inconsistent access to adequate amounts of nutritious food can have a negative impact on the health of individuals of all ages and it can be particularly devastating among children. Children are more vulnerable to potential long-term consequences for their future physical and mental health success. The USDA estimates that in 2023 over 100,000 children were food insecure. Nearly 1 in 4 New Mexico children (23.3%) lived in households without consistent access to adequate food. Child hunger affects every county and legislative district in the state, with rates reaching one-third in some areas
Definition
Food insecurity refers to USDA's measure of lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods. Food insecure households are not necessarily food insecure all the time. Food insecurity may reflect a household's need to make trade-offs between important basic needs, such as housing or medical bills, and purchasing nutritionally adequate foods.
How the Measure is Calculated
| Numerator: | The number of children (under age 18) living in food-insecure households. |
| Denominator: | The number of children (under age 18) in the population. |
How Are We Doing?
New Mexico's child hunger rate is higher than the national average but follows a similar pattern. The rate was falling until 2021 and has taken a sharp increase since that year.
How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
New Mexico has the fourth largest child hunger rate among all states.
What Is Being Done?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) play a critical role in helping low-income families break out of the cycle of hunger and diet-related disease. Both programs augment households' food budgets, allowing them to purchase more healthful foods, and provide nutrition education to participants.
Other Objectives
New Mexico Community Health Status Indicator (CHSI)
More Resources
[http://map.feedingamerica.org/ Map of Food Insecurity in The United States]"