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Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure (2006)

Chapter: Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
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Appendix A
Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003

[Not all follow-up questions have been numbered separately]

I. FOOD EXPENDITURES

These first questions are about all the places at which you bought food LAST WEEK. By LAST WEEK, I mean from Sunday through Saturday.


1. First, did (you/anyone in your household) shop for food at a supermarket or grocery store LAST WEEK?


2. Think about other places where people buy food, such as meat markets, produce stands, bakeries, warehouse clubs, and convenience stores. Did (you/anyone in your household) buy food from any stores such as these LAST WEEK?


3. LAST WEEK, did (you/anyone in your household) buy food at a restaurant, fast food place, cafeteria, or vending machine? (Include any children who may have bought food at the school cafeteria).


4. Did (you/anyone in your household) buy food from any other kind of place LAST WEEK?


Now I’m going to ask you about the ACTUAL amount you spent on food LAST WEEK in all the places where you bought food. Then, since LAST WEEK may have been unusual for you, I will ask about the amount you USUALLY spend.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×

5. How much did (you/your household) ACTUALLY spend at supermarkets and grocery stores LAST WEEK (including any purchases made with food stamps)?

How much of the (amount from last question) was for nonfood items, such as pet food, paper products, detergents, or cleaning supplies?

6. How much did (you/your household) spend at stores such as meat markets, produce stands, bakeries, warehouse clubs, and convenience stores LAST WEEK (including any purchases made with food stamps)?

How much of the (amount from last question) was for nonfood items, such as pet food, paper products, detergents, or cleaning supplies?

7. How much did (you/your household) spend for food at restaurants, fast food places, cafeterias, and vending machines LAST WEEK?


8. How much did (you/your household) spend for food at any other kind of place LAST WEEK?


(Let’s see, it seems that (you/your household) did not buy any food LAST WEEK. Let’s see, (you/your household) spent about (fill with S8O) on food LAST WEEK.) Now think about how much (you/your household) USUALLY (spend/spends). How much (do you/does your household) USUALLY spend on food at all the different places we’ve been talking about IN A WEEK? (Please include any purchases made with food stamps). Do not include nonfood items such as pet food, paper products, detergent or cleaning supplies.

II. MINIMUM SPENDING NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH FOOD

9. In order to buy just enough food to meet (your needs/the needs of your household), would you need to spend more than you do now, or could you spend less?


10. About how much MORE would you need to spend each week to buy just enough food to meet the needs of your household?


11. About how much LESS could you spend each week and still buy enough food to meet the needs of your household?

III. FOOD PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

People do different things when they are running out of money for food in order to make their food or their food money go further.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×

12. In the last 12 months, since December of last year, did you ever run short of money and try to make your food or your food money go further?


13. In the past 12 months, since December of last year, did (you/anyone in this household) get food stamp benefits, that is, either food stamps or a food-stamp benefit card?


14. In which months of 2003 were food stamps received?


15. On what date in November did (you/your household) receive food stamp benefits?


16. How much did (you/your household) receive the last time you got food stamp benefits?


17. During the past 30 days, did (your child/any children in the household between 5 and 18 years old) receive free or reduced-cost lunches at school?


18. During the past 30 days, did (your child/any children in the household) receive free or reduced-cost breakfasts at school?


19. During the past 30 days, did (your child/any children in the household) receive free or reduced-cost food at a day-care or Head Start program?


20. During the past 30 days, did any (women/women or children/children/women and children) in this household get food through the WIC program?


21. How many (women/women or children/children/women and children) in the household got WIC foods?

IV. FOOD SUFFICIENCY AND FOOD SECURITY

The next questions are about the food eaten in your household in the last 12 months, since December of last year, and whether you were able to afford the food you need.


22. Which of these statements best describes the food eaten in your household—enough of the kinds of food we want to eat, enough but not always the kinds of food we want to eat, sometimes not enough to eat, or often not enough to eat?

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×

Now I’m going to read you several statements that people have made about their food situation. For these statements, please tell me whether the statement was OFTEN true, SOMETIMES true, or NEVER true for (you/your household) in the last 12 months.


23. The first statement is “(I/We) worried whether (my/our) food would run out before (I/we) got money to buy more.” Was that OFTEN true, SOMETIMES true, or NEVER true for (you/your household) in the last 12 months?

Did this ever happen in the last 30 days?

24. “The food that (I/we) bought just didn’t last, and (I/we) didn’t have money to get more.” Was that OFTEN, SOMETIMES or NEVER true for you in the last 12 months?

Did this ever happen in the last 30 days?

25. “(I/we) couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals.” Was that often, sometimes or never true for you in the last 12 months?

Did this ever happen in the last 30 days?

26. “(I/we) relied on only a few kinds of low-cost food to feed ((my/our) child/the children) because (I was/we were) running out of money to buy food. Was that often, sometimes or never true for you in the last 12 months?

Did this ever happen in the last 30 days?

27. “(I/we) couldn’t feed ((my/our) child/the children) a balanced meal, because (I/we) couldn’t afford that.” Was that often, sometimes, or never true for you in the last 12 months?

Did this ever happen in the last 30 days?

28. “((My/Our) child was/The children were) not eating enough because (I/we) just couldn’t afford enough food.” Was that often, sometimes or never true for you in the last 12 months?

Did this ever happen in the last 30 days?

29. In the last 12 months, did you or other adults in your household ever cut the size of your meals or skip meals because there wasn’t enough money for food?

How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×

30. Now think about the last 30 days. During that time did (you/you or other adults in your household) ever cut the size of your meals or skip meals because there wasn’t enough money for food?

How many days did this happen in the last 30 days?

31. In the last 12 months, did you ever eat less than you felt you should because there wasn’t enough money for food?

How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

Did this happen in the last 30 days?

32. In the last 30 days, how many days did you eat less than you felt you should because there wasn’t enough money to buy food?


33. In the last 12 months, since December of last year, were you ever hungry but didn’t eat because you couldn’t afford enough food?

How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

Did this happen in the last 30 days?

34. In the last 30 days, how many days were you hungry but didn’t eat because you couldn’t afford enough food?


35. In the last 12 months, did you lose weight because you didn’t have enough money for food?

Did this happen in the last 30 days?

36. In the last 12 months, since last December, did (you/you or other adults in your household) ever not eat for a whole day because there wasn’t enough money for food?

How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

37. Now think about the last 30 days. During that time did (you/you or other adults in your household) ever not eat for a whole day because there wasn’t enough money for food?

How many times did this happen in the last 30 days?

The next questions are about (your child/children living in the household who are under 18 years old).

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×

38. In the last 12 months, since December of last year, did you ever cut the size of (your child’s/any of the children’s) meals because there wasn’t enough money for food?

How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

Did this happen in the last 30 days?

39. In the last 30 days, how many days did you cut the size of (your child’s/the children’s) meals because there wasn’t enough money for food?


40. In the last 12 months, (was your child/were the children) ever hungry but you just couldn’t afford more food?

How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

Did this happen in the last 30 days?

41. In the last 30 days, how many days (was your child/were the children) hungry but you just couldn’t afford more food?


42. In the last 12 months, did (your child/ any of the children) ever skip a meal because there wasn’t enough money for food?

How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

43. Now think about the last 30 days. Did (your child/the children) ever skip a meal during that time because there wasn’t enough money for food?

How many days did this happen in the last 30 days?

44. In the last 12 months, since December of last year, did (your child/any of the children) ever not eat for a whole day because there wasn’t enough money for food?

Did this happen in the last 30 days?

V. WAYS OF COPING WITH NOT HAVING ENOUGH FOOD

45. During the past 30 days, did (you/anyone in the household) receive any meals delivered to the home from community programs, “Meals on Wheels,” or any other programs?


46. During the past 30 days, did (you/anyone in the household) go to a community program or senior center to eat prepared meals?

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×

47. In the last 12 months, did (you/you or other adults in your household) ever get emergency food from a church, a food pantry, or food bank?

How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

Did this happen in the last 30 days?

48. Is there a church, food pantry or food bank in your community where you could get emergency food if you needed it?


49. In the last 12 months, did (you/you or other adults in your household) ever eat any meals at a soup kitchen?

How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

Did this happen in the last 30 days?

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×
Page 127
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×
Page 128
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×
Page 129
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×
Page 130
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×
Page 131
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×
Page 132
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement Questionnaire, December 2003." National Research Council. 2006. Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11578.
×
Page 133
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The United States is viewed by the world as a country with plenty of food, yet not all households in America are food secure, meaning access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. A proportion of the population experiences food insecurity at some time in a given year because of food deprivation and lack of access to food due to economic resource constraints. Still, food insecurity in the United States is not of the same intensity as in some developing countries. Since 1995 the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has annually published statistics on the extent of food insecurity and food insecurity with hunger in U.S. households. These estimates are based on a survey measure developed by the U.S. Food Security Measurement Project, an ongoing collaboration among federal agencies, academic researchers, and private organizations.

USDA requested the Committee on National Statistics of the National Academies to convene a panel of experts to undertake a two-year study in two phases to review at this 10-year mark the concepts and methodology for measuring food insecurity and hunger and the uses of the measure. In Phase 2 of the study the panel was to consider in more depth the issues raised in Phase 1 relating to the concepts and methods used to measure food security and make recommendations as appropriate.

The Committee on National Statistics appointed a panel of 10 experts to examine the above issues. In order to provide timely guidance to USDA, the panel issued an interim Phase 1 report, Measuring Food Insecurity and Hunger: Phase 1 Report. That report presented the panel's preliminary assessments of the food security concepts and definitions; the appropriateness of identifying hunger as a severe range of food insecurity in such a survey-based measurement method; questions for measuring these concepts; and the appropriateness of a household survey for regularly monitoring food security in the U.S. population. It provided interim guidance for the continued production of the food security estimates. This final report primarily focuses on the Phase 2 charge. The major findings and conclusions based on the panel's review and deliberations are summarized.

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