Vanderbilt policy center finds food insecurity persists in Tennessee’s children

Staff file photo by Matt Hamilton / Red Bank resident Sam Snyder moves a pallet of sweet potatoes in the refrigerated area of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank on Friday. Staff file photo by Matt Hamilton / Red Bank resident Sam Snyder moves a pallet of sweet potatoes in the refrigerated area of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank on Friday.

By Dulce Torres Guzman / Tennessee Lookout February 3, 2022 3 min read

A recent child health survey found that 1 in 3 Tennessee families experienced food insecurity in 2021, with nearly half of families receiving support from a food assistance program.

The annual Tennessee child health survey conducted by the Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy surveyed 1,000 parents across the state.

By region, 48% of east Tennesseans reported using a food assistance program, compared to 40% of Middle Tennessee and 46% of West Tennessee.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as “a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life” and a lack of financial resources for food at the family level.