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Holding Hands Against Hunger: How Americans Were Conned
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10200 |
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Section : |
CURRENT ISSUES
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8 / 1986 |
3,658 Words |
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S. Anna Kondratas
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Americans joined hands across the continent on May 25 to draw attention to what the sponsors of the event referred to as the problem of "millions" going hungry in this country. It has been suggested that there may be as many as 20 million "hungry" Americans. The organizers of Hands Across America even claimed on network television that "there is widespread hunger and famine in America."
There are no facts to substantiate this assertion. To the contrary, in the late 1970s scientific studies reported that hunger and malnutrition because of lack of income were not a problem in the United States; only isolated cases of it remained. Since then, federal spending on food programs has gone up, not down. A greater proportion of the poverty population is receiving food stamps today than ever before. Indeed, one in 10 Americans is a food stamp recipient. Supplementary private-sector food assistance also is expanding rapidly. And food costs comprise a smaller proportion of personal income than five years ago, while per capita caloric consumption is up.
So what would explain rising hunger? Nothing. The truth is that problem is any worse now than it was in the late 1970s, and the likelihood is that it has improved. Moreover, the degree of hunger in the United States is comparatively tiny, and persistent hunger is related more to dietary ignorance than to lack of federal assistance. The perception of widespread hunger is rooted in subjective, anecdotal impression, based on isolated and unrepresentative cases.
The methodologies of the much-publicized studies that purported to "find" 20 million hungry Americans and to identify 150 "Hunger Counties" have been soundly discredited. Other studies, also given significant publicity, are based on equally questionable assumptions and shaky methodologies. One claim that the plight of the rural poor is worsening, for example, was based on 1976-1980 nutritional data. Political reports, such as that of the Conference of Mayors, frequently draw conclusions that the ambiguous and incomplete data presented cannot justify. "Field work" frequently consists of going to people's homes and looking in their refrigerators. When refrigerators are empty or nearly empty, individuals are deemed hungry even when they themselves deny it and there is no physical evidence of malnutrition. And even though it is clear that many of the poor really do have too little food, studies also show that many food stamp recipients do not spend all their incremental income solely on food. There is absolutely no credible evidence that hunger in America is either widespread or on the rise.
At the same time, there is no question that intractable pockets of poverty do remain. It is equally true that for many millions, the problem of providing adequate nutrition for their families is a daily concern. These problems should be addressed by the community and all levels of government. For Washington's part, there are several steps that could be taken to improve federal efforts to alleviate the misery of those who find themselves unable to acquire sufficient food. For one thing, Washington should improve the collection and dissemination of relevant nutritional data so that the nutritional status of the general population, including the poor, is not a matter of wild speculation. For another, Congress should continue to reform food assistance programs to ensure better targeting and use of available resources. And lawmakers should step up educational efforts on proper nutrition by coordinating the efforts of the relevant
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