In the 2020 MEPS sample, the food security weights were assigned to each responding RU at Rounds 6/4/2 of Panels 23/24/25 where an RU member completed the MEPS interview. Those MEPS families that responded in Rounds 6/4/2 but were a nonresponding RU at Round 7/5/3 would thus not receive a Food Security weight as they would not have received a MEPS family weight. Proxy respondents at Rounds 6/4/2 were then removed from further consideration in the weighting process. Slightly under 1 percent of the MEPS family population at Rounds 6/4/2 had their MEPS data reported by proxy respondents.

In the 2021 MEPS sample, food security weights were assigned to each responding RU at Rounds 8/6/4/2 of Panels 23/24/25/26 where an RU member MEPS HC-230 C-19 completed the MEPS interview. Those MEPS families that responded in Rounds 8/6/4/2 but were a nonresponding RU at Round 9/7/5/3 would thus not receive a Food Security weight as they would not have received a MEPS family weight. Proxy respondents at Rounds 8/6/4/2 were then removed from further consideration in the weighting process. Slightly under 1 percent of the MEPS family population at Rounds 8/6/4/2 had their MEPS data reported by proxy respondents.

In the 2022 MEPS sample, food security weights were assigned to each responding RU at Rounds 8/4/2 of Panels 24/26/27 where an RU member completed the MEPS interview. Those MEPS families that responded in Rounds 8/4/2 but were a nonresponding RU at Round 9/5/3 would thus not receive a Food Security weight as they would not have received a MEPS family weight. Proxy respondents at Rounds 8/4/2 were then removed from further consideration in the weighting process. About 0.7 percent of the MEPS family population at Rounds 8/4/2 had their MEPS data reported by proxy respondents.

The food security module was fielded in 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2022. The module questions were designed to learn more about existing food concerns among families in the U.S. These questions are incorporated into the MEPS survey instrument in the second round of data collection for each panel in a calendar year. To ensure that data reflected family circumstances as accurately as possible, data were collected from a member of the Reporting Unit (RU). For virtually all MEPS interviews, this was the RU respondent. However, a small number of MEPS interviews are conducted with proxy respondents. As a result, food security data were not collected for such RUs, and they are not part of the target population for the food security weights (FOODWEIGHT). Some RUs for which food security data were obtained may have gone out of scope prior to the end of the calendar year while others may have become MEPS nonrespondents. As a result, the MEPS family weights do not pertain to the target population and the food security weight variable (FOODWEIGHT) must be used.

• Family worried food would run out before got money to buy more, last 30 days (FSRUNOUT)

• Food did not last until family had money to get more, last 30 days (FSNOTLAST)

• Family could not afford to eat balanced meals, last 30 days (FSBALANC)

• Ever ate less than felt should because not enough money, last 30 days (FSATELESS)

• Ever hungry but did not eat because not enough money, last 30 days (FSHUNGRY)

• Any family members not eat for a whole day because not enough money for food, last 30 days (FSNOTEAT)

• Number of days any family member did not eat due to lack of money, last 30 days (FSNOTEATNO)

• Family members cut size or skipped meals because not enough money, last 30 days (FSSKIP)

• Number of days any family members cut size or skipped meals for financial reasons, last 30 days (FSSKIPNO)

• Ever lost weight because not enough money for food, last 30 days (FSWEIGHT)

• Food security module weight (FOODWEIGHT)