Food insecurity is a growing problem in Australia. As food costs rise amid national and international pressures, affordability is becoming a growing concern for many Australians. However, we still have limited evidence on how widespread food insecurity is, how it changes over time, and who is most affected.
Our analysis of data in the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) annual survey shows that severe food insecurity increased nationally by around 40% between 2020 and 2024.
This matters because food insecurity is not only a sign of financial hardship; it can have lasting consequences for health and wellbeing. We identify that single-parent families with children are especially exposed, but risks have also increased for other families. Understanding these changes, and where they occur, is essential for targeting support and policy effectively.
How do we measure food insecurity?
Food insecurity is difficult to measure because people experience it in different ways. Some worry about not having enough food, while others cut back on some foods, skip meals or go without eating altogether.
There are a range of measures. Foodbank estimated one in three Australian households experienced some degree of food insecurity in 2025. The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ national nutrition survey estimated 13.2% of Australian households experienced food insecurity in 2023, but its survey has not been updated since.
Our analysis uses an internationally comparable measure developed by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This consists of eight questions about people’s experiences with food insecurity. It has been included in the 2020 and 2024 HILDA surveys, with responses from around 15,000 people.
Because HILDA follows the same people over time, it can also help us understand who becomes food insecure, who moves out of food insecurity and what factors are associated with these changes.
Following previous research on the 2020 HILDA data, we define severe food insecurity as answering “yes” to at least seven of the eight questions.
The proportion of people experiencing severe food insecurity increased from 2.1% in 2020 to 3.0% in 2024, an increase of around 40%. This category captures people who may be cutting back on food, skipping meals or sometimes going without eating.
Food insecurity is increasing in most cities and regions
The increase was not the same across the country.
Among major cities, severe food insecurity increased substantially in Perth, more than doubling from 1.35% in 2020 to 2.79% in 2024. Adelaide recorded the highest level in 2020 and 2024, at 3.11% and 4.70%, respectively. Severe food insecurity also increased in Sydney and Melbourne. Brisbane was the only city where the rate fell slightly, from 2.63% to 2.49%.
Food insecurity generally increases with remoteness in the country. Many of these regional areas are agricultural hubs, showing that food insecurity does not affect all regional communities in the same way.
The exception is Victoria. In 2024, severe food insecurity affected 2.82% of people in Melbourne, compared with just 2.00% in inner regional Victoria.
In outer regional Victoria, however, the rate was higher, resembling what is also observed in other states. Although HILDA surveys people in regional areas, its small sample could underestimate people’s experience of food insecurity in those areas.
These differences may reflect the different pressures people face in different places. Housing costs, job opportunities, food access and prices, transport and services can all affect whether people can consistently afford enough food.
Single parent families most at risk
These figures show that food insecurity is not distributed evenly across Australian households.
The highest levels were among families in single-parent households. Severe food insecurity increased from 11.57% to 13.68% among people living in single-parent families with children.
Among people living in single-parent families with older children over 15, it increased sharply from 1.73% to 4.42%.
Single parents often rely on one income to cover housing, utilities, food, childcare and other expenses. Solo-caring responsibilities also make it harder to increase working hours.
For couples with children, food insecurity jumped almost 87%. The increase was smaller for those with older children.
Couples with children may have more resources to draw on, but they can still face food insecurity when housing costs, debt, job insecurity or illness put pressure on the household budget.
Better evidence for better action
The increase in severe food insecurity is a warning sign for Australia, and we cannot respond effectively to a problem that we do not properly observe, understand and measure.
To address food insecurity, the data in the HILDA survey is valuable because it shows how many people experience food insecurity, how severe their experiences are and how the situation is changing.
Nationally representative surveys such as this and the ABS survey, and research to support more detailed data for regional communities, are critical steps to support policy intervention and design. This includes the National Food Security Strategy, which aims to address the multiple challenges affecting food insecurity in the country.
Local organisations, charities, food banks and government services play an important role in supporting people who are struggling, but they cannot address the underlying causes on their own.
Understanding who is most affected, and where, is an important first step. Better data can help ensure that support reaches the people and communities facing the greatest risks.
David A. Fleming-Muñoz, Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, La Trobe University; Andrea Arratia-Solar, Research fellow, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, The University of Melbourne, and Chandana Maitra, Senior lecturer, University of Sydney
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.