Capital Region residents struggle with rising food costs, health impacts

ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) — New data released Tuesday reveals the significant impact of rising food costs on residents of the Capital Region.

According to the findings from No Kid Hungry New York , 54% of residents have incurred additional debt over the past year due to increased food expenses.

The survey also highlighted the toll on health, with 54% of respondents reporting a decline in their physical health and 66% noting a negative impact on their mental health. The situation is particularly concerning for families, as nearly three-quarters of those polled indicated that their children’s health has suffered as a result of the rising costs.

RELATED: Can government’s $1 billion plan really make eggs more affordable for you?

Capital Region Takeaways:

• 54 percent of Capital Region residents have taken on additional debt in the past 12 months due to the rising cost of food.
• A majority of Capitol Region residents said their physical health (54 percent) and mental health (66 percent) had suffered due to the rising cost of food.
• 73 percent of Capitol Region residents said their children’s physical health had suffered due to the rising cost of food.
• 73 percent of Capitol Region residents oppose federal cuts to food assistance programs like SNAP, WIC, and Summer EBT.

In response to these challenges, 73% of residents expressed opposition to federal cuts to food assistance programs such as SNAP, WIC, and Summer EBT. A majority (60%) of New Yorkers say food assistance programs like SNAP, WIC, and Summer EBT have a positive impact on local economies and businesses where recipients spend their benefits, according to the poll data.

The rising cost of groceries isn’t just straining household budgets—it’s pushing families deeper into debt. This should be a wake-up call to policymakers in Albany and Washington: New York families need help,” said Rachel Sabella, Director of No Kid Hungry New York. “New Yorkers, regardless of region or political party, all agree on the solution: we need bipartisan support for common-sense programs like SNAP, universal school meals, and Summer EBT that help families put food on the table and give kids the healthy food they need to grow and thrive.

The poll was conducted by Change Research between February 8 and 14 and surveyed 1,596 New Yorkers across the state and has a margin of error of +/- 2.6%.