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United States Value:
Percentage of children ages 0-17 whose household could always afford to eat good nutritious meals in the past 12 months (2-year estimate)
Percentage of children ages 0-17 whose household could always afford to eat good nutritious meals in the past 12 months, among those whose parent or caregiver has some college or technical school education (2-year estimate)
63.2% - 56.2%
56.1% - 51.3%
51.2% - 50.2%
50.1% - 46.5%
46.4% - 39.7%
US Value: 66.6 %
Top State(s): Massachusetts, Virginia: 76.2 %
Bottom State(s): Mississippi: 49.7 %
Definition: Percentage of children ages 0-17 whose household could always afford to eat good nutritious meals in the past 12 months (2-year estimate)
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, National Survey of Children's Health, 2023-2024
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, National Survey of Children's Health, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
Access to sufficient food is crucial for maintaining proper nutrition and health, particularly during childhood. Children require consistent access to nutritious food to remain healthy throughout development and prevent diet-related chronic diseases in adulthood. Healthy eating patterns during childhood development vary at each stage of life and can change based on activity level. Access to nutritious and affordable foods can promote better eating habits and reduce the risk of developing chronic health conditions, including:
The direct and indirect health-related costs of hunger and food insecurityin the United States were conservatively estimated at $160 billion in 2014. That estimate rises to roughly $179 billion after adding education-related costs, such as special education support and costs associated with school dropouts.
The affordability of food and access to local food sources heavily influence nutrition. According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of food sufficiency is higher among:
The first step toward increasing food sufficiency is reducing food insecurity — the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food. In primary care settings, pediatricians can use screening tools to identify food insecurity in households with children. Educating medical students and residents about food insecurity may also be beneficial.
Studies show that food assistance programs, including the School Breakfast Program (SBP), the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), can improve food security among children. Recommended improvements to these food assistance programs include:
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends Healthy School Meals for All to increase participation in SBP and NSLP, improve diet quality, reduce school absenteeism and promote overall health and well-being among students. This program offers free breakfast and lunch to all students in qualifying schools, regardless of household income.
The Child Tax Credit (CTC) has also reduced food insufficiency in households with children. Studies indicate that the CTC is associated with a greater reduction in food insufficiency for families experiencing economic shocks, such as job loss or illness.
Additionally, community agriculture initiatives can improve diets and food security in low-income areas. Collaboration between local farmers and community members in the food production process leads to healthier lifestyles, reliable access to nutritious food and a reduction in grocery expenses.
Healthy People 2030 has a goal to eliminate very low food security in children.
Cook, John, and Karen Jeng. Child Food Insecurity: The Economic Impact on Our Nation. Chicago, IL: Feeding America, 2009. https://www.nokidhungry.org/sites/default/files/child-economy-study.pdf.
Gitterman, Benjamin A., Lance A. Chilton, William H. Cotton, James H. Duffee, Patricia Flanagan, Virginia A. Keane, Scott D. Krugman, et al. “Promoting Food Security for All Children.” Pediatrics 136, no. 5 (November 1, 2015): e1431–38. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2015-3301.
Hartline-Grafton, Heather, and Sandra G. Hassink. “Food Insecurity and Health: Practices and Policies to Address Food Insecurity among Children.” Academic Pediatrics, July 2020, S1876285920304265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2020.07.006.
Huang, Jin, and Ellen Barnidge. “Low-Income Children’s Participation in the National School Lunch Program and Household Food Insufficiency.” Social Science & Medicine 150 (February 1, 2016): 8–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.12.020.
Kreider, Brent, John V. Pepper, and Manan Roy. Identifying the Effect of WIC on Very Low Food Security among Infants and Children. University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series, DP2012-11. University of Kentucky Center for Poverty, October 2012. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1027&context=ukcpr_papers.
McCann, Nicole C, Lorraine T Dean, Allison Bovell-Ammon, Stephanie Ettinger De Cuba, Tiffany Green, Paul R Shafer, and Julia Raifman. “Association between Child Tax Credit Advance Payments and Food Insufficiency in Households Experiencing Economic Shocks.” Health Affairs Scholar 2, no. 2 (February 1, 2024): qxae011. https://doi.org/10.1093/haschl/qxae011.
Ratcliffe, Caroline, Signe-Mary McKernan, and Sisi Zhang. “How Much Does the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Reduce Food Insecurity?” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 93, no. 4 (July 2011): 1082–98. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajae/aar026.
Rea, Samantha, Jay Jarodiya, Madeline Berschback, and Diane Levine. “Improving Food Insecurity Education in Medical School Through Integrative Service Learning.” Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development 9 (January 2022): 238212052210962. https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205221096286.
The Nourishing Effect: Ending Hunger, Improving Health, Reducing Inequality (2016 Hunger Report). Washington, D.C.: Bread for the World Institute, 2015. http://hungerreport.org/2016/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/HR2016-Full-Report-Web.pdf.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December 2020.https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.
