Hunger affects 2.59 million Mexican homes

Washington, Sep 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) About 2.59 million households in Mexico face some degree of food insecurity, with children in affected homes frequently eating less than required or going to bed hungry, according to newly reported official data.

The figures from Mexico’s 2025 Intercensal Survey showed that 6.5 per cent of households had at least one person who could not obtain food because the family lacked money or other resources.

Children and adolescents were among those most exposed to the crisis.

In food-insecure households with minors, 19.9 per cent reported that a child had felt hungry but did not eat. Another 19.2 per cent said a minor had gone to bed hungry.

In 17.4 per cent of such homes, a child or adolescent ate only once during the day or went an entire day without food.

The effects extended beyond missed meals. More than half, or 55.4 per cent, of the affected households said their children had diets with little variety.

About 37.73 per cent reported that a child or adolescent ate less than the family believed was necessary. In 36.91 per cent of households, minors were served smaller portions because there was not enough food or money.

The findings were reported by the Mexican newspaper La Jornada, citing data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, known as INEGI.

Separate findings from Mexico’s national health and nutrition survey indicated that malnutrition affected more than 1.3 million children below the age of five. About 13.9 per cent of children in that age group were below the recommended weight.

Adults were also skipping meals because of financial hardship.

Among households reporting insufficient food, 31 per cent said an adult had felt hungry but did not eat. About 27.9 per cent said an adult ate only once a day or went without food for 24 hours.

Sixteen per cent reported eating meals with very little variety. Another 11.5 per cent said adults consumed less food than they considered necessary.

In 7.1 per cent of affected households, an adult skipped breakfast, lunch or dinner because the family did not have enough resources.

The problem was more acute in rural and farming regions, as well as among Indigenous communities. Such communities often have lower incomes and more limited access to public services and stable employment.

Tabasco recorded the highest proportion of affected households, at 15.32 per cent. It was followed by Oaxaca at 10.13 per cent and Campeche at 9.94 per cent.

The three southern states have large rural populations, while Oaxaca is also home to a substantial number of Indigenous communities.

Insufficient household income and inflation were identified as important causes of restricted access to food. Vulnerable families faced greater difficulty obtaining adequate food after the health emergency, the report said.

Mexico is a major producer and exporter of agricultural goods, but food access varies sharply between its prosperous industrial centres and poorer southern and rural areas. National food-security figures can therefore mask significant differences among states and communities.

Source: IANS