Compared in the study are the results obtained using the Radimer/Cornell hunger scale to measure the prevalence of hunger in random samples of mothers and their households in the Russian Federation and in the USA in 1993. The 12 items in the scale measured hunger at three levels: household, women, and children. If the mother answered positively to one of the four items at a particular level, hunger was established for that level. The prevalence of hunger in the Russian Federation was very high: approximately 77% of the women surveyed, 70% of the households, and 32% of the children were classified as hungry. The corresponding estimated prevalences of hunger in New York State in 1993 were 46.8%, 25.9% and 18.3%. In both surveys, children were the least likely to be classified as hungry and, if they were, their mothers and households were almost always hungry. In both surveys, the hunger scale proved to have criterion-related validity. Basic indicators of household socioeconomic and demographic well-being were highly related to the three levels of hunger. The higher level of hunger in the Russian survey can be explained by the very low incomes. Further study of the nutritional status of the Russian population is recommended.