Financial Capability and Food Security in Extremely Vulnerable Households

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-25-2018

Publication Title

American Journal of Agricultural Economics

Volume

100

Issue

4

First page number:

1224

Last page number:

1249

Abstract

Food insecurity is among the most significant, nutrition-related public health issues facing the United States. Unfortunately, little is known about the determinants of food insecurity except that it is not synonymous with poverty. Many households above the poverty line are food insecure; many below are not. We investigate a lack of financial capability as a potential salient determinant of household-level food security. Using original survey data collected among food pantry clients in North Texas, we assess the impact of financial capacity on food security relying on family background as an exclusion restriction. Our results indicate a strikingly significant effect, both economically and statistically, of financial capability in general and financial behaviors in particular.

Keywords

Food security; Financial capability; Financial literacy; Poverty

Disciplines

Food Security | Income Distribution

Language

English

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