Food Security

What is Food Security?

Household food security is defined as access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food security includes at a minimum:

The ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods.
An assured ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.

Community food security expands on the definition of household security by being concerned with the underlying social, economic and institutional factors that affect not only the amount of food available but also the quality.

Why is Food Security Important?

Food security is one of several conditions necessary for a population to be healthy and well-nourished. The Bureau of Nutrition and Physical Activity and the Iowa Department of Public Health have focused on assessing the extent of food security at household and community levels.

How do We Measure Food Security?

Roughly every 3 years the Iowa WIC program distributes a Food Security Survey to at least 5% of it's participants. The questions contained within the survey are used to measure the level of food security of our participants. Results of the Food Security Surveys can be found below.

Food Security Survey Results

Coming Soon!!

Other resources

For more information about WIC, call (515) 281-6650. You may also use the Contact Us system to send us a question online.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

Read the full USDA Non-Discrimination Statement and to learn how to file a complaint.