Association of Federal and State Level Minimum Wage Legislations and Food Security

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Economics
• Sociology

Background:

• Food security remains a critical public health concern in the United States.
• Understanding the socioeconomic determinants of food security is essential for effective policy interventions.
• Minimum wage policies are frequently debated for their potential impact on population health and economic well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between federal and state minimum wage increases and household food security.
• To determine if minimum wage adjustments influence the prevalence of low food security and very low food security.

Main Methods:

• Utilized longitudinal data from the Current Population Survey Food Supplement (1998-2019).
• Integrated household food security data with state-level minimum wage information.
• Employed a linear probability model with extensive demographic and geographic controls.

Main Results:

• A $1 increase in the minimum wage was not significantly associated with changes in low food security prevalence.
• A $1 minimum wage increase was linked to a 0.16% decrease in very low food security prevalence.
• Heterogeneity analysis indicated larger effects for the 'other race/ethnicity' subgroup.

Conclusions:

• Minimum wage legislation shows potential for reducing very low food security rates.
• Current evidence suggests minimum wage policies may not substantially narrow existing disparities in food security across racial/ethnic groups and sex.