{"id":22434,"date":"2024-12-09T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?p=22434"},"modified":"2026-03-04T22:45:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T06:45:11","slug":"food-and-nutrition-insecurity-linger-in-la-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/food-and-nutrition-insecurity-linger-in-la-county\/","title":{"rendered":"Food insecurity in LA County remains well above national average, despite slight decline"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n    \n                                          \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/LACounty_FoodInsecurity_Top-768x432.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/LACounty_FoodInsecurity_Top-1920x1080.jpg 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/LACounty_FoodInsecurity_Top-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/LACounty_FoodInsecurity_Top-768x432.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Composite image shows hands grasping groceries in a bin on left and the Los Angeles skyline on the right\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"image-caption\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Many Angelenos still struggle to obtain adequate nutritious food. (Composite: Letty Avila; Image source: iStock.)\n\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n          <nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n        <ul>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\">News<\/a><\/li>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\/?category=health\">Health<\/a><\/li>\n                  <\/ul>\n      <\/nav>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>Food insecurity in LA County remains well above national average, despite slight decline<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  A new USC Dornsife study finds that while food insecurity in Los Angeles County fell 5% last year, 25% of households still struggle to put food on the table, amid cuts to food programs and lingering high costs.\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n           <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span><a href=\"mailto:communication@dornsife.usc.edu\">Ileana Wachtel<\/a><\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">December 9, 2024<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m7.43475275 9.52380952-2.17490843 2.26076008c-1.08745421 1.058837-1.68841575 2.518315-1.68841575 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\n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Key points:\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n      <ul>\n              <li><p>USC Dornsife researchers found that in October 2024, 1 in 4 L.A. County households \u2014 about 832,000 \u2014 experienced food insecurity. Among low-income residents, the rate is 41%.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n              <li><p>While the rate of food insecure households has dropped to 25% \u2014 a 5% decline from 2023 \u2014 it\u2019s still well above pre-pandemic levels and the national average of 14%.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n              <li><p>The number of Angelenos who experienced nutrition insecurity in 2024 was even higher, at 29% of households lacking nutritious food options.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n          <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n  \n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p>Despite a modest 5% improvement since 2023, food insecurity in L.A. County remains alarmingly high \u2014 well above the national average and L.A.\u2019s pre-pandemic level. A USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences study found that as of October 2024, 25% of L.A. County households \u2014 about 832,000 \u2014 struggle with food insecurity. By comparison, the national average is just 14%. Among low-income households in L.A. County, 41% experienced food insecurity in 2024, compared to 27% pre-pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe high cost of living and food, coupled with cuts to assistance programs \u2013 persistent challenges for Angelenos \u2013 continue to fuel the crisis,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/cesr\/profile\/kayla-de-la-haye\/\">Kayla de la Haye<\/a>, lead author of the study and director of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/cesr\/ifse\/\">Institute for Food System Equity<\/a> at USC Dornsife\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/cesr\/ifse\/\">Center for Economic and Social Research<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/publicexchange.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurityinLACounty_ResearchBrief_October2024_Final.pdf\">study<\/a>, spearheaded by USC Dornsife\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/publicexchange.usc.edu\/\">Public Exchange<\/a>, also highlights relentlessly high rates of nutrition insecurity \u2014 characterized by limited access to healthy foods \u2014 which affects 29% of residents. Asian communities were disproportionately impacted, experiencing higher rates than other racial and ethnic groups.<\/p>\n<h2>Pandemic programs provided relief<\/h2>\n<p>During the COVID-19 pandemic, enhanced federal food assistance programs \u2014 known as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getcalfresh.org\/\">CalFresh<\/a> in California and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fns.usda.gov\/snap\/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SNAP<\/a> nationwide \u2014 and expanded L.A. County food initiatives, helped reduce food insecurity among low-income households to pre-pandemic levels of 28% in 2021. However, the rollback of emergency boosts to these programs in 2022 and 2023, coupled with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ers.usda.gov\/data-products\/food-price-outlook\/summary-findings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">surging inflation<\/a>, eroded those gains. By July 2023, food insecurity among low-income households surged to 44% \u2014 surpassing the pandemic peak of 42%.<\/p>\n<p>The study also outlined fluctuations in food insecurity among <em>all<\/em> L.A. County households from 2021 to 2024, underscoring the precarious nature of access to food in the region. These trends are reflected in key data points that illustrate these changing rates and the scope of the crisis over time:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>17% in December 2021 (553,000 households)<\/li>\n<li>24% in July 2022 and December 2022 (802,000 households)<\/li>\n<li>30% in July 2023 (1,002,000 households)<\/li>\n<li>25% in October 2024 (832,000 households)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cWe know that when programs lose funding or are terminated, food insecurity rates rise,\u201d said de la Haye. \u201cThe correlation couldn\u2019t be clearer.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Low-income households hit hardest<\/h2>\n<p>This study\u2019s findings align with data from earlier USC Dornsife <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/food-insecurity-worsens-among-low-income-angelenos\/\">studies<\/a>, showing that food insecurity continues to disproportionately affect low-income, Latino, Black and young adult populations. Among low-income households, food insecurity remains very similar to the rate in the first year of the pandemic (42%). Latinos account for 76% of those impacted, with 69% between ages 18 and 40 and 59% women. Just under half (47%) of households with food insecurity have children.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re trending in the right direction, but rates of food insecurity remain unacceptably high, particularly for communities of color and low-income individuals,\u201d said de la Haye. \u201cThe evidence is unequivocal: Expanded, fully funded assistance programs and investment in our local food initiatives reduce food insecurity. Now, it\u2019s about translating that evidence into action.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_22435\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22435\" style=\"width: 2500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22435\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_1.png\" alt=\"Bar graph shows food insecurity rates among low-income L.A. County residents for several years from 2011 to 2024\" width=\"2500\" height=\"2658\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_1.png 2500w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_1-500x532.png 500w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_1-963x1024.png 963w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_1-768x817.png 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_1-1445x1536.png 1445w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_1-1926x2048.png 1926w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-22435\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 1: Food insecurity trends among low-income L.A. households (2011\u20132024) show ongoing challenges. Notable spikes occur in 2020 (42%) during the pandemic and in 2023 (41%) due to inflation. (Chart: USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Stark disparities in nutrition and food insecurity<\/h2>\n<p>The study includes findings from the first-ever tracking of nutrition insecurity among adults in L.A. County, covering data collected between 2022 and 2024. The results reveal disparities that extend beyond simply getting enough food. Nutrition insecurity \u2014 marked by limited access to healthy, nutritious food \u2014 was found to be 4% higher than food insecurity, affecting 27%\u201329% of Angelenos. Among racial and ethnic groups, Asian residents experienced the highest rate, with 35% affected.<\/p>\n<p>When the researchers compared nutrition insecurity to food insecurity, they discovered significant racial disparities. Food insecurity rates among Black (31%) and Hispanic (32%) individuals are now three times higher than those among white residents (11%). In contrast, only 14% of Asians reported experiencing food insecurity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTackling food insecurity isn\u2019t enough without addressing the disparities in nutrition across racial and ethnic groups,\u201d de la Haye added.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_22436\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22436\" style=\"width: 2501px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22436\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_2.png\" alt=\"Bar graph compares food insecurity and nutrition insecurity among different racial and ethnic groups in 2024\" width=\"2501\" height=\"2060\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_2.png 2501w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_2-500x412.png 500w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_2-1024x843.png 1024w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_2-768x633.png 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_2-1536x1265.png 1536w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/12\/FoodInsecurity_Charts_2-2048x1687.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2501px) 100vw, 2501px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-22436\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 2: Comparing food and nutrition insecurity rates by race and ethnicity in L.A. County in 2024 reveals Hispanics and Blacks experience the highest rates of food insecurity, while Asians are most affected by nutrition insecurity. (Chart: USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Food assistance programs fall short<\/h2>\n<p>Even though high food insecurity rates persist, many of the neediest Angelenos are not participating in food assistance programs. Only 29% of food insecure households in L.A. County are enrolled in CalFresh, and just 9% in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdph.ca.gov\/Programs\/CFH\/DWICSN\/pages\/program-landing1.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WIC<\/a>, the federal nutrition program for women, infants and children. Yet, among those receiving aid, many still struggle:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>39%\u00a0of CalFresh recipients are food insecure;\u00a045%\u00a0face nutrition insecurity.<\/li>\n<li>24%\u00a0of WIC recipients are food insecure;\u00a047%\u00a0are nutrition insecure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Based on their findings, the researchers recommend renewed investments in evidence-based interventions, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Expanding financial support through CalFresh and WIC.<\/li>\n<li>Making healthy, culturally relevant foods more affordable.<\/li>\n<li>Increasing funding for food banks and pantries.<\/li>\n<li>Sustaining local initiatives to strengthen the food system over the long term.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>About the food and nutrition insecurity study<\/h2>\n<p>The study is based on data from the <a href=\"https:\/\/uasdata.usc.edu\/index.php\">Understanding America Study<\/a> (UAS), administered by the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR), using a representative sample ranging from 1,120 to 1,201 participants.<\/p>\n<p>This work was supported by USC Dornsife\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/publicexchange.usc.edu\/food-insecurity-in-la-county\/\">Public Exchange<\/a> and by a grant from the National Science Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>USC Dornsife study finds that food insecurity fell 5% last year, but 25% of county households still struggle to put food on the table amid food program cuts and lingering high costs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":22437,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,24],"tags":[64,49,80,60],"class_list":["post-22434","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-social-impact","tag-center-for-economic-and-social-research","tag-food-insecurity","tag-public-exchange","tag-research"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Food insecurity in LA County remains well above national average, despite slight decline<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Study finds food insecurity fell 5% last year, but 25% of L.A. households still struggle for food amid program cuts and lingering high costs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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