Access to sufficient healthy food at all times is not a guarantee for some households in Dane County.

Food insecurity, when food access is insufficient or uncertain for at least one person in the household at some point in the year, is a day-to-day reality for nearly 12 percent of all people and 17.5 percent of children in Dane County, according to a report from Public Health Madison & Dane County released Tuesday.

“Food insecurity is a significant public health issue in our county,” Nick Heckman, Food Security Policy Analyst at PHMDC said in a statement.

Further, the report shows that one in three black, Hispanic and single-parent households are food insecure compared to one out of five white households. Households with disabled individuals and those that are below 100 percent of the federal poverty level are also more likely to experience food insecurity.

Low wages, limited access to stores with healthy food, expensive housing and childcare costs mean many families struggle to keep enough food on the table.