Hunger a Rising Concern Among Americans as Economy Falters

Public Wants Issue Discussed in Campaign; Recent Polling Shows Need for Political Leadership on Hunger and Poverty

American families are increasingly worried about being able to afford enough food for their families and a substantial majority believes eliminating hunger should be a priority of the federal government and the next administration, according to a new review of recent public opinion research.

The review, commissioned by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and conducted by Peter D. Hart Associates and McLaughlin & Associates, also concluded that Americans believe that the nation is not doing enough to combat hunger-related problems and that candidates for public office need to speak about solutions to hunger.

“As the economy continues its downward trend, concerns about hunger will only intensify,” said Jim Weill, president of the Food Research and Action Center. “This is an issue that candidates have not focused on, but one that needs to be part of the political debate for President, for Congress, for Governorships and for state legislatures. Voters deserve to hear exactly where candidates stand and their plans to address the problem.”

The review looked at the past eight years of public opinion research on nutrition, food insecurity, hunger and federal spending on domestic programs to combat these problems.

Download the summary of findings | Download the full report

Visit the Food Research and Action Center's website for more information: www.frac.org