Basic Needs Research

These governmental agencies are working to alleviate basic needs insecurity in the United States. The sources below are considered to be foundational in the field and provide established definitions of key terms, statistics relating to basic needs insecurity, and policy-based approaches to the problem of food and housing security in this country.

National Institutes of Health Nutrition Research Task Force. (2020). 2020-2030 Strategic Plan for NIH Research. National Institutes of Health. https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/onr/strategic-plan

"The first NIH-wide strategic plan for nutrition research emphasizes cross-cutting, innovative opportunities to advance nutrition research across a wide range of areas, from basic science to experimental design to research training. The plan is organized around a unifying vision of precision nutrition research and includes four strategic goals and five cross-cutting research areas – one of which is Minority Health and Health Disparities.”

Food Security in the United States: This USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) website provides an overview of household food insecurity including research highlights, trends, interactive charts, and highlights. https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/

Food & Nutrition Assistance: On this page, find out more about child nutrition programs, food assistance data and collaborative research programs, food security, poverty and income volatility, and assistance programs, such as the supplemental nutrition assistance program and the women infant and children program. https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/

Food Access: This page highlights examples of ERS research examining the consequences of food access limitations on food spending, diet, and health. https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-choices-health/food-access/

Food Access Research Atlas: This tool provides food access indicators for low-income and other census tracts using different measures of supermarket accessibility. Users can download data, compare it, and create maps. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/ 

Food Environment Atlas: This tool provides users with a variety of statistics on food choices, health and well-being, and community characteristics for all communities in the United States. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-environment-atlas/ 

Surveys with Food Security Data: This website includes information about several population-level surveys that could be used for future research, including: Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS), Spanish Language CPS Food Security Supplement, Household Pulse Survey (HPS), American Housing Survey (AHS), Early Childhood Longitudinal Surveys (ECLS), FoodAPS National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and more. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-security-in-the-united-states/documentation/  

Health Equity: This site describes health equity and the factors that can influence it, including social determinants of health and racism. It also provides an overview of the CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity and how its staff are promoting health equity and good nutrition, regular physical activity, and healthy weights for all. https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/health-equity/

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH): This site describes what is meant by SDOH and elaborates on five key areas: health care access and quality, education access and quality, social and community context, economic stability, and neighborhood and built environment. https://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/about.html