| Food insecurity is a lingering problem in the United States, with numerous implications including compromised diet quality, psychological distress, malnutrition, and hunger. The literature indicates that the prevalence of food security is disproportionate between racial/ethnic groups, with blacks and Latinos experiencing higher rates than non-Latino whites. Using new assimilation theory as a theoretical framework, this study investigates the relationship between food insecurity and immigrant status and race/ethnicity. Race/ethnicity is a central component in this study, as immigrants encounter racial/ethnic boundaries upon their arrival to the United States that may affect food security. Using the 2007-2010 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, I find that when socioeconomic status is held constant, white immigrants are not statistically different than white citizens, but black citizens and Latinos, who have relatively similar rates of food insecurity, are more likely to be food insecure than white citizens. Black immigrants are much more likely to be food insecure than any of the other groups. The results confirm that immigrant and racial/ethnic disparities in food security exist in the United States and there is a clear immigrant and racial/ethnic hierarchy. The results have implications for food assistance policies and indicate a continuing pattern of racial/ethnic inequality in the United States. |
