New Study Shows Nearly 30% of Arkansans Face Food Insecurity

New findings from the Arkansas Health Survey show that 28.8% of adult Arkansans are food insecure. In other words, approximately 688,000 adult Arkansans in both rural and urban areas lack consistent, reliable access to the nutritious food they need for an active, healthy life. 

That figure is approximately 10% higher than recent reports, which already ranked the state's food insecurity as the worst in the nation.  

When Arkansans cannot reliably afford food, they are more likely to delay medical care, struggle to manage chronic conditions, experience worse mental health and face disruptions that affect school and work. 

"When families are concerned about where their next meal is going to come from, it spills over into every other aspect of their life and health," said Don E. Willis, an assistant professor in human development and family sciences program in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. 

The Arkansas Health Survey provides a detailed portrait of physical and mental health across the state. Based on nearly 10,000 responses, the survey shows researchers and public health officials the prevalence of more than 30 indicators, including  tobacco use, obesity and depression, in each of the state's 823 census tracts.  

Arkansas is only the second state, following California, to conduct an in-depth health survey to capture community-level insights at the census-tract level.  

A More Precise Way to Measure Food Insecurity in Arkansas 

Unlike many statewide surveys that rely on a single-question measure of food insecurity, the Arkansas Health Survey uses the six-item U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Security Survey Module. This validated instrument provides a multidimensional assessment of food-related hardship. 

"Food insecurity is often treated as a simple yes-or-no issue, but the reality is more complex," said Michael Niño, U of A associate professor of sociology and criminology and the lead researcher for the Arkansas Health Survey. 

The survey's granular data also reveals that food insecurity is not evenly distributed across the state. At the county level, six counties — Lee, Union, Lincoln, Sebastian, Crittenden and Columbia — have adult food insecurity rates of 32% or more. 

At the community level, the differences are even sharper. The Arkansas Health Survey identified 200 census tracts, in both rural and urban communities, where more than 35% of adults are food insecure. In fact, 57.7% of these high-prevalence tracts (115 of 200) are considered urban. 

Poverty and food insecurity are closely linked, but the help available to people in a community is also a factor. 

"As researchers, we know poverty and food insecurity are shaped by place — access to resources, services and support systems change how those hardships are experienced," Willis said. 

A Critical Moment for State-Level Monitoring 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced changes that will end federal food insecurity monitoring going forward. 

The Arkansas Health Survey, which is designed to be administered annually, will allow our state to continue tracking food insecurity trends. The detailed, census-tract level data will also help non-profit organizations and government agencies efficiently provide aid to the communities with the greatest need. 

"The Arkansas Health Survey is an example of researchers in our state really stepping up and leading the way," Willis said. "It can be a model for how other states might want to track and respond to food insecurity. And it's especially important right now." 

In late February, interactive maps from the survey will be available online through the AR-COMPASS dashboard. 

The Arkansas Health Survey was a collaborative effort between the U of A and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Both the survey and the forthcoming dashboard are housed within the Arkansas Health Equity and Access Lab at the U of A.