Study: 54.9% of Massachusetts LGBTQ+ adults faced food insecurity

A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that over 50 percent of Massachusetts adults identifying as LGBTQ+ faced food insecurity in 2024, shedding light on an ongoing public health disparity throughout the commonwealth.

Massachusetts Statewide Food Access Survey Findings on Disparities

Between 2022 and 2024, investigators evaluated information gathered from 9,174 adult participants in the Massachusetts Statewide Food Access Survey. The study found that 54.9% of LGBTQ+ adults experienced food insecurity in 2024. That figure stands in sharp contrast to the 33.3% of non-LGBTQ+ adults who faced the same hardship during the same period. Food insecurity occurs when individuals lack reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food to maintain basic health.

The data shows that the disparity persisted throughout the two-year study window. Income differences and other economic factors did not fully explain the gap. Food insecurity among the surveyed population also increased overall from 2022 to 2024.

“More than half of LGBTQ+ adults in Massachusetts experienced food insecurity in 2024,” said lead author Austin R. Waters. “Differences in income and other economic factors did not fully explain this gap, suggesting that LGBTQ+ people face additional barriers that put them at greater risk of food insecurity.”

Austin R. Waters, a research fellow in the LGBTQ Health Center of Excellence at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and lead author of the study, pointed to these structural hurdles. The research team included collaboration with the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham.

Barriers to Food Assistance Programs and Pantry Use

Despite rising rates of food insecurity, participation in food assistance programs remained relatively flat throughout the study period. Many LGBTQ+ adults who qualified for help chose not to use food pantries. Researchers identified several primary reasons for avoiding these resources, including a strong desire to remain self-reliant, feelings of embarrassment, and worries that others might discover their usage.

Data showed that several of these psychological and logistical barriers increased as time went on. Privacy concerns kept vulnerable residents from seeking immediate relief.

“LGBTQ+ adults are facing growing food needs, but they also face barriers to getting help, including embarrassment and fear that others will know they use a food pantry,” said Waters. “We need solutions designed with LGBTQ+ communities that make food assistance easier to access while protecting people’s dignity and avoiding further stigmatizing a population that already experiences stigma and discrimination.”

Study participants outlined several alternatives that could improve uptake. Recommendations included providing grocery gift cards, offering home delivery and curbside pickup options, expanding online ordering systems, and supplying direct assistance to complete Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment.

Food Assistance Programs Must Address Stigma and Logistics

The findings point to clear opportunities for targeted policy changes and program updates across municipal and state food networks. Brittany Charlton, senior author of the study and Harvard Medical School associate professor of population medicine at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, emphasized that economic stability alone does not resolve the crisis.

Food assistance programs can reduce hunger, but administrators must address the stigma and logistical roadblocks preventing vulnerable adults from stepping forward. Future interventions will require direct partnerships with LGBTQ+ communities to ensure services remain inclusive and responsive.