American food insecurity is increasing the most drastically in the Midwest, and the number of food-insecure people increased by over 40 percent in several states from 2021 to 2022.
The data comes from the annual 鈥淢ap the Meal Gap鈥 report issued by Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks. The national rate of food insecurity is about 13 percent across all counties, but some areas are struggling with hunger at a much higher rate. North Dakota, up 57 percent, South Dakota up 45 percent, and Iowa, up 45 percent, saw the biggest increases in the number of food-insecure people from 2021-2022. Washington, D.C., Hawaii, and Nevada saw the lowest rates of increase.
Child food insecurity also exists in every U.S. county, with the highest rate at 48 percent in East Carroll Parish, Louisiana. The report also says eight out of 10 highest food-insecure counties are located in the southern states.
