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Food Insecurity

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Multimedia
Is Los Angeles County Prepared for California's Edible Food Recovery Mandate?
Experts in food recovery discuss findings from a RAND study into Los Angeles County's preparedness for a new law that requires California to significantly reduce organic waste and recover some edible food from going to landfills by 2025.
Jul 18, 2022
Essay
Why Are U.S. Military Families Experiencing Food Insecurity?
Around a quarter of active-duty service members qualify as “food insecure.” But what's causing that, how to fix it—even what it means—is not clear. Food insecurity is a multifaceted problem that needs multifaceted solutions.
Nov 6, 2023

Explore Food Insecurity

Periodical
RAND Review: November-December 2023
Features explore the use of psychedelics to address depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders among veterans, and the prevalence of food insecurity among active-duty military families and veterans.
Nov 9, 2023
Blog
Escalation in Ukraine, a Trilateral Imperialist Threat, Disaster Recovery: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the risk of escalation in Ukraine, the growing threat of a North-Korea-Russia-China partnership, the economics of disaster recovery, and more.
Sep 22, 2023
Report
Food Insecurity Among Veterans
Veterans experiencing food insecurity are less likely than nonveterans to be enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. What factors affect this? And how might policymakers address the problem?
Sep 20, 2023
Research Brief
Reducing Policy Barriers to SNAP Participation by Food-Insecure Veterans
Food-insecure veterans are consistently less likely than their nonveteran peers to be enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but there are opportunities to improve policies and boost veterans’ program participation.
Sep 20, 2023
Journal Article
The Co-Management of HIV and Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in the Dominican Republic: A Qualitative Study
We conducted in-depth interviews to explore co-management of HIV and non-communicable disease among people in the Dominican Republic. Key factors included patient-provider relationships, referrals, specialist accessibility, and financial assistance.
Aug 10, 2023
Journal Article
What Is Associated with Changes in Food Security Among Low-Income Residents of a Former Food Desert?
We compared study participants in a former food desert neighborhood whose food security improved to those whose food security did not improve across survey waves. Distance to major food shopping store was positively associated with food security.
May 16, 2023
Journal Article
Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Mixed-Methods Study from a Cohort of HIV Clients in Uganda
The paper utilized a longitudinal mixed-methods approach to evaluate the economic impact of COVID-19 on food security and ART-taking behaviors among people living with HIV in Kampala, Uganda.
Jan 19, 2023
Blog
A Potential Russian Attack on NATO, China in the Arctic, Inflation: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on how the West might respond in the case of a limited Russian attack on NATO, what China's Arctic ambitions mean to the United States, how inflation affects middle-class households, and more.
Jan 6, 2023
News Release
Food Insecurity Affects Many Active-Duty U.S. Military Families, but Root Causes Remain Unclear
More than a quarter of active-duty military personnel have faced some level of food insecurity, but the underlying causes are not well understood.
Jan 4, 2023
Report
Food Insecurity Among U.S. Service Members and Their Families
Over a quarter of active duty personnel were food insecure in 2018, but only 14 percent of them used food assistance programs. Some said that the military culture of self-sufficiency and pride kept them from seeking help. Other barriers were a lack of knowledge about available resources and eligibility.
Jan 3, 2023
Research Brief
Food Insecurity in the U.S. Military: Responses to Eight Topics Raised by Congress
In response to a congressional query, RAND researchers examined the extent of food insecurity among military service members, their participation in food assistance programs, and the advisability of a basic needs allowance.
Jan 3, 2023
Journal Article
Food Insecurity, Sleep, and Cardiometabolic Risks in Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Youth
Food insecurity contributes to racial/ethnic disparities in health. This is the first study to examine associations among food insecurity, sleep, and cardiometabolic outcomes in urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth.
Nov 4, 2022
Blog
Synthetic Opioids, Ukrainian Grain, the Metaverse: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on countering the illegal flow of synthetic opioids, freeing up Ukrainian grain to prevent famine, the importance of defining the metaverse, and more.
Jun 24, 2022
Multimedia
Preparing for California's Edible Food Recovery Mandate: Findings from the Los Angeles Food Recovery Study
Under a new state law, California must significantly reduce organic waste and recover some edible food from going to landfill by 2025. Is Los Angeles County prepared for the new mandate?
Jun 21, 2022
Report
California's Edible Food Recovery Mandate: One Solution for Two Problems
Organic waste in landfills emits 20 percent of California's methane, and about 1.1 million tons of potentially donatable food were discarded in 2018. California's food recovery mandate, Senate Bill 1383, could make an important contribution toward mitigating the climate crisis and food insecurity.
Jun 21, 2022
Commentary
Why Are U.S. Veterans at Heightened Risk of Food Insecurity?
U.S. veterans are at great risk of food insecurity, but there is limited understanding of exactly how many veterans lack resources to attain adequate and nutritious food and why. If resources are to be directed more effectively, the United States needs better clarity into the magnitude of the problem.
Nov 24, 2021
Commentary
Veterans Experience Food Insecurity
Food insecurity is associated with poorer mental and physical health, as well as homelessness. Some veterans are at higher risk, including women, those who have been homeless, and those with serious mental illness. Few veterans receive support from federal programs designed to prevent food insecurity.
Jul 21, 2021
Commentary
The Biden Administration's Chance to Improve SNAP and Nutrition Support
If policymakers were to make permanent the relaxed rules forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, it could be a start to increased racial equity in SNAP. Given broad public support for SNAP, making benefits easier to access, particularly for those already eligible, could be a bipartisan priority.
May 19, 2021

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Temusa Rukundo

Ph.D. Student, Pardee RAND Graduate School, and Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND

Temusa (Tusa) Rukundo is an assistant policy researcher at RAND and a Ph.D. student in the Research, Analysis, and Design stream at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. She has a B.A. in economics and political science with a concentration in international development from Macalester College. Her…
Tamara Dubowitz

Senior Policy Researcher

Tamara Dubowitz (she/her) is a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation and faculty at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Trained in social epidemiology with concentrations in maternal and child health and public health nutrition, her research focuses on the role of place, or geography,…

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