Codes

This variable is not available for any of the currently selected samples.

Description

FSLESSMO indicates the number of days out of the last 30, if any, the respondent ate less than the respondent thought s/he should because they could not afford enough food. This item is available only for households where the respondent reported eating less than she or s/he should in the past year (FSLESSYR).

The questions used to construct this variable are two of the 18 items included in 30-day household food security scale, FSSTATUSM. Households are screened into this section of the supplement based on income and preliminary questions on food access (see FSSCREEN for more information).

In 2019 the Census Bureau changed to a categorical system for continuous 30 day Food Security variables to reduce risk of disclosure. As a result, FSLESSMO is not available after 2018. Instead, FSLESSMOCAT is offered for 2019 forward and contains categorical recodes for all previous samples.

This variable is part of the Food Security Supplement.

Comparability

This variable is generally comparable over available years since 1995, and the universe is generally consistent since 1998. From 1998 onwards, both the preliminary screening questions and the internal screening questions that precede FSLESSMO are consistent over time. Specifically, only households that in the past year did not have enough to eat (FSFOODS), worried about running out of food (FSWROUTY), ran out of food (FSBUYMR), or did not eat balanced meals (FSBAL) continue on to answer FSLESSYR and FSLESSMO.

Prior to 1998, both the internal screeners and the screening procedures used to determine which households were screened into the food security assessment varied. Researchers need account for this when including data prior to 1998.

Universe

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Unharmonized Variables