Introduction
Many low-income U.S. households experience food security changes over time, but little
is known about how labor market transitions contribute to these changes. This paper
uses longitudinal survey data collected from 2017 to 2020 to explore how changes in
employment and earnings are associated with changes in food security status.
Methods
Analyses were conducted in the spring of 2022 and include nearly 3,500 individuals
who participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training
program. Individuals responded to surveys at 2 points in time—12 months and 36 months
after study enrollment—which asked for employment, earnings, and food security information.
Logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between food security
transitions and employment and earnings changes. Analyses also were conducted to assess
whether these associations differed on the basis of individuals’ previous employment
and earnings volatility.
Results
Individuals who experienced a job loss 2 months before the second survey interview
had higher odds of becoming food insecure (OR=2.67; 95% CI=1.24, 5.75); those who
experienced an earnings reduction in the month before the interview also had higher
odds of becoming food insecure (OR=1.89; 95% CI=1.03, 3.47). The association between
experiencing a job loss and becoming food insecure was greater among those who had
experienced past earnings changes. There were no statistically significant associations
between changes in earnings and employment and the likelihood of becoming food secure.
Conclusions
Employment losses and earnings reductions are associated with becoming food insecure
among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training participants.
Providing additional support to individuals who experience these losses and reductions
may reduce their risk of becoming food insecure.
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Publication history
Published online: December 01, 2022
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© 2022 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
