Description

FSDAYCH indicates whether the children in the household did not eat for an entire day in the past year because there wasn't enough money for food. From 1998 onwards, this question is asked only of households that previously indicated food distress among children in the past year.

This questions is one of the 8 items included in the 12-month child food security scale, FSSTATUSC and is also used to determine household food security status FSSTATUS. Only households with incomes below 185% of poverty and higher income households that indicate food access problems in response to preliminary screening questions are included in the Food Sufficiency and Food Security section of the supplement. FSDAYCH is subject to a second internal screener.

Comparability

This variable is generally comparable over available years since 1995, and the universe is generally consistent since 1998. From 1998 onwards, only households that in the past year relied on low-cost food to feed their children (FSLWCFDC), could not afford to feed their children a balanced meal (FSBALCH), or in which the children did not eat enough (FSENGHCH) continue on to answer FSSKIPCH.

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

Flags

Unharmonized Variables