Paula Chu Fox of Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.

Hunger in Asian American communities

Hunger impacts Asian American communities very differently. The term Asian American includes communities from many different countries. Every Asian American community has a unique experience in the United States 

Facts about hunger among Asian Americans

  • Harmful racial stereotypes cause many to overlook hunger among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
  • An estimated 6% of Asian Americans are food insecure. That's 1 in 18 people who identify as Asian American.
  • An estimated 19% of Pacific Islanders are food insecure. That's 1 in 5 people who identify as Pacific Islanders.
  • Recent immigrants from some Asian or Pacific Island nations face hunger at higher rates. For example, immigrants from Bhutan, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Myanmar are much more likely to experience hunger.

Food insecurity among Asian American individuals by Asian group (2017-2021)

Asian Group

Food Insecurity Rate

Asian Indian

4%

Chinese

3%

Filipino

11%

Japanese

3%

Korean

5%

Vietnamese

7%

Other community

12%