35.5 million report going hungry

More than 35.5 million people in this country went hungry in 2006, the Agriculture Department said.

Single mothers and their children were among the most likely to suffer, according to the study.

The figure represented more than 1 in 10 people, or 12.1%, who said they did not have enough money or resources to get food for at least some period during the year, according to the annual hunger survey.

Kate Houston, the USDA’s deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, said the numbers weren’t much different from 2005, which saw a decline to 35.1 million people after five straight increases.