The economic and social costs of not having enough to eat are high. Studies of children show that food insecurity and hunger are big predictors of chronic illness, lower school performance and developmental problems.

“One in five children in Missouri live in food insecure households,” said MU doctoral student Darren Chapman. “We know these kids are much more likely to face health issues, miss school and have difficulty concentrating when they are in class.”

Adults face income loss, missed days at work, increased health costs and higher demand for public benefits and social services. The state spent well over $1.4 billion in 2012 on food stamp programs and reimbursement to schools to provide free and reduced-price meals, according to the report.

However, that amount does not include the administrative costs of operating the programs or private contributions. While food banks contribute more than 90 million pounds of food a year to pantries and other facilities, hundreds of faith-based and civic groups and other organizations also donate.

While assistance programs are critical in the daily struggles of hundreds of thousands of Missourians to provide enough nutrition for them or their families, they are not solutions to reversing worsening trends, the report says.