Food Security by Racial and Ethnic Identity Among Lower-Income Adults

Objectives. To expand the understanding of food security among a racially and ethnically diverse sample of US adults living below 200% of the federal poverty line (FPL). Methods. I performed a cross-sectional analysis of the National Health Interview Survey (2019-2023) that included 37 748 respondents. I estimated unadjusted proportions and adjusted probabilities of food security for non-Hispanic White, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN), Asian, and Hispanic adults living in severe (<  50% FPL), moderate (50% to < 100% FPL), and near poverty (100% to < 200% FPL). Results. The study reveals important nuances in food security by race and ethnicity. Non-Hispanic Asian adults in severe poverty experienced higher food security than their counterparts in less dire economic situations, non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics were more similar than previously reported, and non-Hispanic AIAN adults reported extremely low probabilities of food security. Conclusions. Thoroughly documenting and expanding on these patterns of food security for lower-income adults could lead to better understanding of policy mechanisms that could alleviate food insecurity and reduce health disparities by racial and ethnic identity in the United States. (Am J Public Health. 2026;116(6):841-850. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308508).