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Food Insecurity Among Community College Students: Prevalence and Association With Grade Point Average
Abstract
This study investigated the prevalence of food insecurity among community college students (N = 301) and the relationship between food insecurity and student grade point average (GPA). It employed a cross-sectional intercept survey, utilizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Household Food Security Survey Module, student self-reported GPA, and demographic variables. The research setting was two community colleges in Maryland—one located in a low income urban area and one located in an affluent suburban area. Results demonstrate that 56% of the students in the overall sample were classified as food insecure. Students at higher risk of food insecurity included those who reported living alone and those who reported being single parents. Students identifying themselves as African American or as multiracial were also at increased risk for food insecurity. Food insecure students were more likely than food secure students to report a lower GPA (2.0–2.49) versus a higher GPA (3.5–4.0). Data suggest that food insecurity is an issue for a large percentage of the community college student sample. Food insecurity may have adverse effects on student academic performance and is a factor to be considered by college administrators, faculty, and students.
... It is essential to consider the intersectional nature of inequality and social determinants of health, both temporally and spatially. For example, students from groups that have been historically disadvantaged, including racial and ethnic minorities and first-generation students, have higher risks of college food insecurity [23][24][25]. A meta-analysis of 47 studies on college student food insecurity revealed that female students, Black students, firstgeneration students, and living off campus was associated with higher rates of food insecurity [26]. ...
... These practices often result in food insecurity, which can, in turn, cause stress and anxiety [58]. Food-insecure students indicate that a major source of anxiety is their inability to afford healthy food [3], which results in increased stress [59], difficulty concentrating on one's studies [60], and lower grades [23]. Food insecurity ultimately impacts degree attainment, with food-insecure students having lower odds of graduating [61]. ...
... When assessing students' pre-college experiences and health-related challenges and assets, institutions should use non-stigmatizing approaches to screen students for prior experiences with food insecurity [92]. Prior research demonstrated the value of utilizing SDOH-specific screening for college students [23]. Screening for SDOH has been implemented in the medical setting [93,94]. ...
In recent years, many students have faced economic hardship and experienced food insecurity, even as universities strive to create more equitable pathways to college. There is a need for a more holistic perspective that addresses the complexity of food insecurity amongst college students. To this end, we examined the relationship between the social determinants of health, including college food insecurity (CoFI) and childhood food insecurity (ChFI), and their relationship with well-being measures. The study sample was a convenience sample that included 372 students at a public university who responded to an online survey in fall 2021. Students were asked to report their food security status in the previous 30 days. We used the following analytical strategies: chi-square tests to determine differences between food secure (FS) and food insecure (FI) students; binary logistic regression of CoFI on student demographics and ChFI; and ordinal or binary logistic regression for well-being measures. Black students, off-campus students, first-generation students, in-state students, and humanities/behavioral/social/health sciences majors were more likely to report CoFI. FI students were more likely to have experienced ChFI and to have lower scores on all well-being measures. ChFI was associated with four well-being measures and its effects were mediated by CoFI. College student health initiatives would benefit from accounting for SDOH, including ChFI experiences and its subsequent cumulative disadvantages experienced during college.
... Food insecurity is one of the most prevalent and troubling manifestations of basic needs (in)security. Surveys of campuses across the United States revealed disturbingly high rates of food insecurity, which threaten students' overall well-being and academic performance (Dubick et al., 2016;Maroto et al., 2015;Martinez et al., 2019). As the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt higher education and the US economy, food insecurity among college students has become even more acute Owens et al., 2020). ...
... The effects of food insecurity significantly hinder students' academic performance. Some scholars (Broton, 2017;Collier et al., 2020;Maroto et al., 2015) have found that students struggling with food insecurity earn lower GPAs than their food-secure peers. Other studies have indicated that food-insecure students will drop classes or skip buying course materials to help make ends meet (Dubick et al., 2016), which further stratifies college access and success as students are forced to choose between securing their basic needs and academically progressing towards graduation (Errington Nicholson, 2020). ...
... Although research indicates that food insecure students are employed (Baker-Smith et al., 2020), our findings suggest that balancing work and school often exacerbates both students' food insecurity and academic performance. Reflecting previous findings on academic performance (Maroto et al., 2015;van Woerden et al., 2018), our findings suggest that struggling with the effects of food insecurity while also working long or odd hours can lead to elevated stress and a decreased ability to concentrate on coursework, which in turn inhibit students' classroom success and academic progress. Taken together, food insecurity threatens students' ability to persist to graduation, which may improve their overall social mobility and security. ...
Using a content analysis methodology, we examined 15 peer‐reviewed articles published between 2009 and 2019 that used qualitative and mixed methods approaches to explore how college and university students experience food insecurity. Concerningly, there was limited variety in the methods employed across these articles and more discussion of methodology was needed. Despite this, our analysis of student statements in these articles yielded three common themes: (1) co‐occurring basic needs; (2) academic, physical, psychological, and social effects of food insecurity; and (3) institutional satisfaction and/or critique. We include implications for research and practice.
Context and implications
Rationale for the study
Few qualitative studies centre students' food insecurity experiences in the United States. We examined available research to unearth commonalities across student narratives while connecting food insecurity to broader social class inequality in higher education.
Why the new findings matter
Our findings underscore the urgent need for additional qualitative food insecurity scholarship that foregrounds student voices. Future researchers examining food insecurity should consider: (a) the nuances of on‐campus food insecurity, (b) the impact of food insecurity on student success, and (c) the linkages between food insecurity and social class in higher education.
Implications for policy makers
Campus leaders and policy makers can help address campus food insecurity by building holistic wraparound systems to support the multi‐faceted needs of students facing food insecurity. To do this, policy makers and leaders must begin to understand food insecurity as more than a statistic and acknowledge the human experiences of those it affects.
... Additionally, a study conducted by Krause et al. found that adolescents who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, other, or questioning had a higher likelihood of reporting food insecurity when compared to those identifying as heterosexual [34]. While there are opportunities to further explore this relationship among adolescents, the literature has repeatedly identified an association between food insecurity status and race/ethnicity and LGBTQIA + self-identification in college students [35][36][37][38][39]. ...
... The purpose of this study is to examine sociodemographic correlates of experiences of hunger among an adolescent sample in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic using an intersectional approach. We hypothesize that similar correlates of hunger among adults and college students (such as race/ethnicity, sexual identity, language, and employment disruptions) will also be observed in a nationally representative sample of high school students [16,[19][20][21][35][36][37][38][39]. ...
This study examines correlates of experiences of hunger among adolescents in the United States (U.S) by the intersectionality of race/ethnicity with sociodemographic characteristics (gender, sexual identity, and adolescent/parent job loss) with the aim of identifying subgroups most at risk for hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This cross-sectional study uses nationally representative data from the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES) collected from January to June 2021. The analytic sample was high school students aged 14–17 with complete data (n = 6023). Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine associations between sociodemographic factors and hunger (1-item measure) among adolescents during the pandemic for the analytic sample and stratified by race/ethnicity.
The prevalence of hunger was 24.1% for the analytic sample and was highest among American Indian/Alaskan Native/Other Pacific Islander youth (37.2%), followed by non-Hispanic Black (31.8%) and Hispanic (28.4%) youth, and lowest among Non-Hispanic White youth (18.6%). In the analytic sample, there were significant differences in experiences of hunger by race/ethnicity, sexual identity, and adolescent/parent job loss during the pandemic (p < 0.05). When stratified by race/ethnicity, there were differential associations of hunger with sexual identity, and adolescent/parent job loss.
These findings provide evidence of differential experiences of hunger during the pandemic among adolescents by sociodemographic factors. Results highlight the need for taking an intersectional approach when examining issues such as hunger. Future policies and programs should be mindful of factors associated with hunger and should prioritize using an equity-informed approach when engaging with multiply-marginalized adolescents.
... A lack of financial resources resulting in unmet basic needs can disrupt enrollment, reduce retention, and/or delay graduation [2][3][4][5]. Some colleges and universities have responded to students' unmet basic needs by developing and formalizing basic needs programs [6][7][8]. ...
... Students attending postsecondary institutions are more likely than the general population to be food insecure [20], and many students who are classified as independent live below the poverty guidelines [21]. A lack of resources to meet basic needs places students at greater risk of experiencing difficulties in attending classes and performing to their full academic ability [2][3][4][5]. Students who experience food insecurity are more likely to have lower grade point averages [4,22]. In addition, food insecurity tends to increase poor mental health outcomes among college students, which also hinders students' academic performance [2,4] and may increase the odds of stopping out [23]. ...
Citation: Zottarelli, L.K.; Xu, X.; Hatcher, J.M.; Thiruppathiraj, R.; Ellis, N.; Chowdhury, S.; Sunil, T. Adaptive Complexity: Examining Texas Public Postsecondary Institutions' Provision of Student Basic Needs Programs. Trends High. Educ. 2024, 3, 247-259. Abstract: This study reveals that the likelihood and diversity of postsecondary institutions providing basic needs programs are significantly influenced by institutional factors such as the institutions' organization and size. This study also indicates that Hispanic-Serving Institutions tend to provide emergency housing, which highlights a targeted response to specific community needs. In addition, the analysis indicates that the presence of students with financial needs is linked to the availability of food pantry services, suggesting a strategic approach to address student welfare. The findings from this study provide critical insights into how institutional characteristics influence the provision and variety of basic needs services. These conclusions not only underscore the pivotal role of such services in supporting the overall well-being and academic success of students but also indicate institutional factors that support the formal implementation of a variety of basic needs programs to meet diverse student needs.
... When students experience food insecurity, they also are at a greater risk of experiencing worse academic outcomes, such as lower grades and lower retention rates in college. 4,[24][25][26] Weaver and colleagues found that among college students, higher levels of food insecurity are correlated with being among the 10% of students with the lowest GPA and decreased the odds of being among the 10% of students having the highest GPA. 11 Thus, while food insecurity may not directly cause college students to have a low GPA or drop out before they can complete their education, food insecurity may relate to other factors that do. ...
... 3,11,[14][15][16][17][22][23][24] Additionally, our discovery that students with low and very low food security reported significantly lower GPA and more food-related academic problems than students with high food security converges with previous research that linked food insecurity to college students' academic difficulties. 4,11,[24][25][26] Finally, our finding that students with low and very low food security were more likely to have a more recent immigrant generational status than students with high food security converges with findings from a recent research study conducted on college students in the second year of the pandemic. 19 However, this study found novel links between students' food insecurity and use of pandemic-era government/food support programs insofar as it demonstrated that compared to students with high food security, students with low and very low food security were more likely to use food pantries and SNAP, as well as receive food assistance from religious organizations. ...
Objective: We examined how students' food insecurity related to their demographic information, academic experiences, use of food programs, and reflections on food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: 246 NYC undergraduates during the first 9 months of the pandemic. Methods: Students reported on food insecurity (eg, USDA's 10-item AFSSM), household income, impact of food insecurity on academics, GPA, and use of food programs. They wrote two food narratives. Results: 135 (54.88%) participants reported high food security; 51 (20.73%) reported low or very low food security. Compared to high food security students, low and very low-security students were more likely to identify as Black and first-generation immigrants, reported lower household income, more frequently used food programs, had a lower GPA, reported more academic difficulties, and wrote more often about financial and programmatic difficulties related to food. Conclusions: Food-insecure students need greater financial, academic, and programmatic support during public health crises.
... When looking deeper at students' academic experiences or feelings in other countries, Maroto et al. found that food-insecure students were more likely to report a lower grade point average (GPA) than a high GPA compared to food-secure classmates [28]. While this does not prove that FI always causes poorer academic performance, it adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting an association between it and poorer academic performance [28,29]. ...
... When looking deeper at students' academic experiences or feelings in other countries, Maroto et al. found that food-insecure students were more likely to report a lower grade point average (GPA) than a high GPA compared to food-secure classmates [28]. While this does not prove that FI always causes poorer academic performance, it adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting an association between it and poorer academic performance [28,29]. ...
Abstract: (1) Background: Food insecurity (FI) among university students has received less attention in Europe than in other regions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2022 using an online questionnaire (n = 924). The questionnaire addressed food security status; demographic, socioeconomic, and educational variables; academic performance; food consumption; and social support networks. The validated Food Insecurity Experience Scale was used to measure food security. Binary logistic regressions adjusted by age and gender were applied to identify FI-related factors. (3) Results: Just over 17% of the students were living with some level of FI, nearly one in three students reported having consumed few kinds of food, and 3.9% spent an entire day without eating due to a lack of resources. Food insecurity was associated with a higher likelihood of negative academic performance, decreased food consumption, and a lower likelihood of having a large support network, when compared to food-secure respondents. (4) Conclusions: The findings suggest that FI negatively impacts students' academic performance and food consumption. Future public health programs should be prioritized to prevent students from experiencing hunger due to financial or resource constraints.
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/6/764
... In addition, students may be more likely to experience food insecurity at the end of the quarter, during academic breaks and holidays (Watson et al., 2017). 9 Food-insecure students have a lower grade point average compared to their foodsecure peers, which may be a consequence of poor health (Bruening et al., 2017;Martinez et al., 2018;Maroto et al., 2015;Patton-Lopez et al., 2014;Payne-Sturges et al., 2018). ...
... Family expenses may contribute to food insecurity risk, particularly for students who are single parents. A study of two Maryland community colleges found that 77% of single parents reported food insecurity (Maroto et al., 2015). Although the open-feedback responses from this research did not provide more detail on how student parents utilize the pantry, one respondent requested baby food from the FRESH pantry, and 3% of students (16) reported having children as dependents. ...
A 2017 report from the University of California (UC) found that nearly half of UC
undergraduate students were food insecure or lacking consistent access to food. Research has shown that food insecurity has detrimental effects on student health and academic performance. However, literature on university efforts to address food insecurity is limited. UC Irvine’s FRESH Basic Needs Hub serves food-insecure students by offering a food pantry, food stamp application assistance, and other services. This study analyzed qualitative data from over 200 FRESH users to understand what students perceive as program benefits and areas of improvement. Most respondents (50%) expressed that FRESH supported their health and provided a safe space to study and prepare food. However, 16% of students requested a more accessible location, increased food quantity, and longer hours of operation. These findings can assist FRESH in enhancing services, while offering suggestions for basic needs initiatives and policies.
... Empirical research has also identified other at-risk groups including housing-insecure (19) , disabled (82) , parents (83) , and first-generation students (84) . Participatory research methodologies with marginalised communities can promote relevant, appropriate and inclusive strategies and solutions (85) . ...
Objective
Food insecurity (FI) in the higher education setting is a pressing social justice and public health nutrition issue. Persistent FI rates among students suggest that the current programs and institutional policies are inadequate. Engaging the community in co-design practices can enhance research and decision-making, leading to more targeted advocacy and solutions. This review describes and evaluates evidence of co-design approaches and identifies strategies for addressing FI in higher education settings.
Design
A review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. Literature was searched in three electronic databases (Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE and Web of Science) and two search engines (Google and Google Scholar).
Setting
Only studies based in higher education settings were included.
Participants
Higher education students.
Results
The search identified 814 studies, of which 28 met the inclusion criteria. Studies involving co-design and participatory research frameworks had higher participation, leading to increased student awareness of FI, student leadership, and the development of campaigns and collaborative organisational structures. A content analysis approach identified seven categories for strategies targeting student FI: 1) policy and institutional support; 2) strategic partnerships 3) advocacy and awareness; 4) initiatives for student engagement; 5) student skills and knowledge development; 6) program development; and 7) campus food environment.
Conclusions
Co-designed research methodologies are important for addressing student FI, enhancing advocacy, and understanding stakeholder needs. Future studies should prioritise collaborative approaches when exploring solutions to FI and similar social justice issues affecting students.
... Within this literature, studies generally find that food insecurity reduces academic performance in higher education. Several studies find that food insecurity is associated with worse academic outcomes among higher education students, such as a lower grade point average (GPA), less frequent class attendance, reduced concentration in class and on assignments/exams, and delayed graduation or withdrawal [1,2,4,5,7,10,[12][13][14][16][17][18]23,24,27,30,31]. ...
Several studies find that low food security has negative effects on academic performance in higher education in the U.S., but the samples for these studies often have low percentages of Hispanic students. Consequently, it remains unclear if food security affects academic performance in predominantly Hispanic settings. Our study aims to analyze whether food security affects academic performance at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Using original survey data collected on 2020 students enrolled at a large research-intensive HSI and cumulative logit models, we assess whether food security influences concentration and graduation delays among students at an HSI in the U.S.–Mexico border region. Our findings strongly suggest that low food security reduces concentration and increases delays for graduation at the HSI. The results have important implications for HSI leaders who want to improve student success, and we offer recommendations for future programs and investments to build student food security at HSIs. Because food security is a strong social determinant of health, the study is closely related to the topic of addressing social determinants of health to improve Hispanic health outcomes. When universities take action to build food security among HSI students, they simultaneously make an investment to improve Hispanic health outcomes.
... For one, basic needs insecurity negatively influences individuals' physical and mental health (Broton et al., 2022;Chilton & Booth, 2007;Coffino et al., 2020;Collier et al., 2021;Cox et al., 2019;Gregory & Coleman-Jensen, 2017;Gundersen & Ziliak, 2015;Meza et al., 2019;Pourmotabbed et al., 2020;Seligman et al., 2010;Soria, 2023;Stahre et al., 2015;Swope & Hernández, 2019). The academic success of basic needs insecure students is also at high risk (Broton, 2021;Farahbakhsh et al., 2017;Goldrick-Rab et al., 2018;Maroto et al., 2015;Phillips et al., 2018). Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a tipping point, exacerbating these problems (Baker-Smith et al., 2021;Glantsman et al., 2022;Goldrick-Rab, 2021;. ...
Despite the increasing awareness of basic needs insecurity and its adverse impacts on students’ academic achievement and wellbeing, the racial and social inequities in these experiences remain a critical issue requiring scholarly attention. Using the #RealCollege Survey Dataset, this study investigates the prevalence of basic needs insecurity among postsecondary students according to their citizenship/residency status and reveals that students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents (NCPR) are disproportionately affected by basic needs insecurity. It also explores several barriers to these students’ basic needs security, including, but not limited to, the reasons why some students do not use campus resources (e.g., not knowing how to apply). The findings of this study suggest that addressing the barriers to students’ basic needs security requires considering multiple intersecting identities, including citizenship/residency status. The paper concludes by providing recommendations for future research, policy, and practice on how higher education institutions can and should appropriately address the related issues and provide adequate support based on students’ unique circumstances.
... From the sampled top universities, shown earlier in Fig. 13.1, SDG 2, zero hunger, is well represented, indicating attention is being paid to research on that particular SDG related to students. In several countries, student hunger is a real challenge for many students (Cady, 2014;Chaparro et al., 2009;El Zein et al., 2019;Mapolisa & Chakanyuka, 2014;Maroto et al., 2015;Nikolaus et al., 2020). This food insecurity disrupts the teaching and learning process in several ways and adversely impacts learner performance (Lederer et al., 2021). ...
The book’s concluding chapter underscores the critical role of higher education institutions in fostering sustainability and addressing societal challenges through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It delves into the transformative influence of the SDGs on educational pedagogies, urging universities to integrate these goals into their curricula and operations to produce graduates capable of addressing contemporary global issues. The chapter highlights the intersection of education with various SDGs, such as affordable housing, hunger, and climate action, demonstrating the universities’ response to local and global challenges. Furthermore, it advocates for enhanced governance and accountability within higher education, emphasising ethical leadership and data-driven decision-making to improve educational quality and equity. The chapter calls for a reimagined approach to learning that is adaptive, interdisciplinary, and inclusive, ensuring that universities not only contribute to but also lead in the pursuit of a sustainable and equitable future.
... Relatedly, studies show that access to financial aid and support increases students' persistence, and that reducing the administrative burdens associated with financial aid receipt increases access among low-income students (Bettinger et al., 2012). An inability to meet basic needs is associated with lower levels of academic success and general wellbeing, including physical and mental health (Cady & White, 2018;Maroto et al., 2015;Payne-Sturges et al., 2018). ...
Low-income students struggle with resources while trying to achieve future financial stability. As colleges explore ways to support students, one solution is integration with public benefits. This study focuses on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a program that offers cash assistance to low-income adults with children. Statistical analysis of New Jersey data on applications from students (N = 1,064) is complemented by interviews with higher education experts (N = 6). Findings indicate that knowledge about the program is lacking. Among students who do apply, many either withdraw their application or do not complete the requirements. Findings offer recommendations to improve access for students.
... Students face housing affordability challenges and unique financial burdens that impact access to food, including rising tuition costs and textbook prices (Silverthorn, 2016). Food insecurity may deleteriously impact physical, mental, and academic wellbeing, with increased risks of chronic disease, obesity, depression, social isolation, lower academic performance, and postponed graduation (Gundersen & Ziliak, 2015;Maroto et al., 2015;Martinez et al., 2020). ...
Objective: The objective of this community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) project was to gain an in-depth understanding of the needs, interest and opportunities that exist within a post-secondary institution with respect to supporting food security among students via a food hub. Methods: The project was undertaken on the campus of the University of British Columbia-Vancouver. The CBPAR approach included 4 phases: 1) information gathering, 2) relationship development, 3) implementation of the community engagement strategy, and 4) shareback of findings to the community. Results: Phase 1 identified key components that formed the research process including campus partners for relationship development (phase 2) and subsequent engagement through their networks (phase 3). Phase 3 included engagement of 62, 111, 156, and 154 students, who participated in facilitated dialogues, community meals, a survey and targeted survey, respectively. Food insecurity related experiences were prevalent, with 37% to 75% indicating they worried about running out of food in the last year. Over 90% of all survey respondents affirmed that they would access a community food hub (CFH). Preferences for the CFH were inclusion of emergency food access, community meals, and financial support and planning, while prioritizing foods that meet cultural needs, and a low cost grocery store within the CFH. Conclusion: There is a demonstrated need and desire among students for innovative approaches to support food security at a post-secondary institution. The process outlined may serve as a road map for other communities who are seeking to move beyond emergency food relief.
... Based on these findings, 37.0% had low food security, and 33.0% were experiencing very low food security (Anuar et al., 2015). A lower prevalence of food insecurity was found when this study was compared to a study in the United States by Maroto et al. (2015), where in this study, 56.0% were food insecure, with 26.0% experiencing low food security and 30.0% experiencing very low food security. ...
Food insecurity refers to the restricted or unsure availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or restricted or unsure ability to obtain foods. Most studies were conducted at the domestic level, but university students are also vulnerable to food insecurity. This study aims to determine the socioeconomic, weight status, and food insecurity among USM health campus undergraduate students. Convenience sampling was used for the recruitment of 286 respondents. Food security status was assessed using U.S. Adult Food Security Survey Module (AFSSM) derived from the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) with no child present. In addition, weight and height were obtained to assess their weight status (BMI). The results indicated that almost half (44.76%) of USM health campus undergraduate students experienced food insecurity, with 33.22% assigned as low food secure and 11.54% assigned as very low food secure. In conclusion, for socioeconomic, only family income and amount of allowance received per semester showed significant association with food insecurity, but no association was found between the primary source of allowance and food insecurity. Students with family income below RM3000 and students with an amount of allowance below RM2000 per semester were at the highest prevalence of food insecurity. There was also no significant association between food insecurity and weight status (BMI). However, it was found that being overweight was high in food-secure students, and obesity was also high in food insecure students.
... Ahmed et al. 2023). The AFSSM is widely recognized in the FI literature as a valid and reliable measure of FI (Chaparro et al. 2009;Patton-López et al. 2014;Maroto et al. 2015;Bruening et al. 2016;Payne-Sturges et al. 2018;Nikolaus et al. 2019;Adamovic et al. 2022). Students were identified as food-insecure or secure using the USDA coding schemes (Bickel et al. 2000;USDA 2012). ...
Food insecurity (FI) is a pressing concern among university students in the United States, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this issue. Providing food assistance for university students has become more challenging due to pandemic-related consequences and interventions. This study aims to (1) analyze social inequalities in FI among university students in a large public university during the pandemic, (2) investigate the association of their utilization of campus, community, and federal food assistance programs (FAPs) and FI, and (3) understand the barriers students face in accessing FAPs. Survey questionnaires were distributed to students to gather their socio-demographics, FI, and usage of FAPs. Logistic regression was utilized to assess the relationship between students’ FI and their use of FAPs. Among the surveyed students (n = 282), 33.7% reported experiencing FI. Higher FI rates were observed among socially vulnerable student groups, for example, non-Hispanic Black (62.5%) and Hispanic students (38.7%), compared with non-Hispanic White students (32.1%). FAPs had a limited influence on students’ FI due to low utilization. The primary barriers to FAPs were insufficient information, ineligibility, and social stigma. The findings suggest it is crucial to reduce barriers to using FAPs and develop targeted interventions for marginalized students to address inequalities in FI.
... Unmet needs, in conjunction with economic and health insecurities, make attending college more difficult and increase the likelihood of leaving higher education for nonacademic reasons. That is, a lack of resources to meet basic needs places students at greater risk of experiencing difficulties attending classes and performing to their full academic ability [34][35][36][37]. For example, students who experience food insecurity have greater odds of being in the lowest 10% of grade point averages (GPAs), lower odds of being in the upper 10% of GPAs [38], and have lower overall GPAs [36,39]. ...
Many post-secondary institutions have implemented anti-poverty programs to address students' basic needs insecurities. This study examined the provision of 17 types of basic needs programs at Texas Hispanic-serving institutions over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic with the aim to identify changes in the number and types of programs offered as well as factors that may influence the presence of specific types of basic needs programs on campus. While the average number of basic needs programs per institution varied little over time, the specific types of programs that were offered changed. Institution type as a 2-year or 4-year institution was associated with providing on-campus mental health services, on-campus physical health services, and after-school care for students' children at pre-pandemic and anticipated post-pandemic time points and employing students and free food or meal vouchers at the pre-pandemic time point. The percentage of students receiving Pell Grants was associated with basic needs programs to assist students applying for public services and referrals to off-campus health services pre-pandemic and anticipated post-pandemic. The presence of an on-campus free food pantry was associated with the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants at the anticipated post-pandemic time point only. Over the course of the pandemic, there were changes to the types of basic needs programs offered. Some types of basic needs programs were associated with institutional and/or student characteristics. Given the continued presence of basic needs programs through the course of the pandemic and into the post-pandemic period, the use of these kinds of programs and services to support students, while influenced by external factors such as the pandemic, appears institutionally established as a way to facilitate going to college for students in need.
... We have to meet students' basic needs in order for them to fully concentrate…" (Goldrick-Rab & Kendall, 2016, p. 3-4). Consistent with decades of research in the K-12 domain, recent studies have reported food insecure college students have lower grade point averages than food secure students (Patton-Lopez et al., 2014, Maroto, Snelling & Linck., 2014. College students who are food insecure have also reported more difficulty attending class, as well as increased anxiety and irritability which can affect academic performance (Seligman, Larais, & Kishel, 2010). ...
Predicting student success and preventing dropout are crucial efforts for higher education institutions. Many indicators are used to predict retention and performance such as high school GPA, SAT scores, and individual personal factors. Grit and resilience are two such individual factors useful in helping identify characteristics of successful students, although they have sparked much debate. For this longitudinal study, college students’ resilience score from the Effective Life-Long Inventory (ELLI) and the Grit test were used to predict cumulative grade point average. Resilience and Perseverance of Effort (POE), a subscale of the Grit test, were significant in predicting student performance. Efforts to improve retention and performance would benefit from interventions to build resilience and grit to help students be more aware of their strategies and overcome obstacles and thus prevent them from dropping out.
... College students who experience the negative impact of poverty, such as food, financial, and housing insecurity, are at higher risk for poor academic performance [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Additionally, students with an underrepresented racial or ethnic minority identity have a higher likelihood of experiencing poverty [10,11]. ...
Background
College students who experience the negative impact of poverty, such as food, financial, and housing insecurity, are at higher risk for poor academic performance. One recent study examined grief in a college student sample and found students with a diverse racial or ethnic background were more likely to experience prolonged grief disorder, however, did not examine poverty in their sample. To date, no known reviews have examined poverty by racial and ethnic identity and the experience of grief due to the death of a family member or friend, and no reviews have examined how these three factors relate to interventions designed to support student academic performance and degree completion.
Methods
Our aim is to map the primary literature reporting on college students of any age who identify or are identified as non-white racial or ethnic groups who experience poverty and grief due to the death of a family member or friend. The mapping strategy includes extracting the various types of interventional support of academic performance and degree completion delivered from campus or community services in any geographic setting worldwide. We will conduct our scoping review with guidance from the latest version of the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Utilizing the framework as outlined by Arksey and O’Malley, we will conduct our scoping review with Arksey’s five stages: (1) identifying the research question, (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) study selection, (4) charting the data, and (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting the results. For transparency and reproducibility, we will adhere to the PRISMA reporting guidelines.
Discussion
The purpose of this scoping review is to map the primary literature reporting college students, regardless of their age, who belong to non-white racial or ethnic groups and face poverty and grief resulting from the loss of a family member or friend. This analysis includes mapping the various types of intervention and support available both on and off campus, in any global setting, with the aim of enhancing academic performance and facilitating degree completion. The results of this review may inform the further research needed in this area to help prevent poor academic performance and dropout for many vulnerable college students. The results may be of value, particularly to college administrators developing prevention and interventional programs to support college student success.
Systematic review registration
Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/enuwt).
... [10][11][12] Food insecurity's effects can be seen in many areas, including poorer self-reported health, 3 negative psychosocial impacts, 13,14 and poor academic outcomes. 6,8,11,[14][15][16][17][18] Reasons for increased food insecurity in college students compared to the national population are varied and often compounded, and may include the rising cost of higher education and living expenses, decreasing federal and state funding for college, increasing numbers of low-income students attending college, and low participation by eligible students in federally-funded food assistance programs like SNAP, known as CalFresh in California. [19][20][21] In addition, college students may also have experiences which make them particularly vulnerable to food insecurity, including emergent independence, adjusting to a new living and social environment, living off campus, not participating in a school meal plan, limited access to on-campus resources due to work, lack of nutrition knowledge, and limited budgeting experience. ...
... The military officer rightly knows that security is the defense of the regional integrity of the nation against attack or war. But, a police officer sees it as the prevention of crimes by the citizens as well as the arrest and charging of the culprits to the court of law (Mbu, 2013).According to Omoyibo and Akpomera (2013), security is an idea that is prior to the state, and the state exists in order to provide that idea. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria specifically states that "The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government". ...
Food security is an essential tool for national development. Attaining food security in Nigeria is essential to national development. This is because it aids as a boost to other sectors of the economy. Poor nourishment can lead to abridged protection, impaired physical and mental growth and reduced productivity. This paper therefore discussed the following issues; meaning of food, security and food security in form of introduction, food security challenges, consequences of food insecurity, efforts at achieving food security in Nigeria, guaranteeing food security in Nigeria, conclusion and finally recommend that to minimize the increasing reliance on food import, it is essential that productivity enhancing measures be implemented in the agricultural sector such that food production can expand at a rate that is commensurate with food deficit caused by increasing population. This could be achieved through increased budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector, raising of embargo on food produce that the nation has comparative advantages to produce and introduction of post-harvest storing techniques that will minimize wastages that have hitherto, exacerbated food security in the country.
... College students who experience the negative impact of poverty, such as food, nancial, and housing insecurity, are at higher risk for poor academic performance [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. And one recent study conducted by Glickman [11] examined grief in a college student sample and found those students with a diverse racial or ethnic background were more likely to experience Prolonged Grief Disorder; however, did not examine potential poverty in their sample. ...
Background
College students who experience the negative impact of poverty, such as food, financial, and housing insecurity, are at higher risk for poor academic performance. And one recent study examined grief in a college student sample and found those students with a diverse racial or ethnic background were more likely to experience Prolonged Grief Disorder; however, did not examine potential poverty in their sample. To date, there do not appear to be studies that have examined poverty by racial and ethnic identity and the experience of grief due to the death of a family member or friend. Our aim is to map the literature reporting on college students of any age who identify or are identified as non-white racial or ethnic groups who experience poverty and grief due to the death of a family member or friend. Our second objective is to map the interventional supports in practice delivered from campus or community services to support student academic performance and degree completion.
Methods
We will conduct our scoping review with guidance from the latest version of the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Utilizing the framework as outlined by Arksey and O’Malley, we will conduct our scoping review with Arksey’s five stages: 1) identifying the research question, 2) identifying relevant studies, 3) study selection, 4) charting the data, and 5) collating, summarizing and reporting the results. For transparency and reproducibility, we will adhere to the PRISMA reporting guidelines.
Discussion
The purpose of this scoping review is to map the literature on the intersections of college student poverty, grief, and racial/ethnic identity. A limitation of this review is that all relevant studies may not be identified due to database selection (i.e., searching more databases may identify additional relevant studies). This review will contribute to the literature base on college student poverty and create greater awareness around the needs of racially and ethnically diverse students experiencing poverty and grief due to death. The results may be of value, particularly to college administrators developing prevention and interventional programs to support college student success.
Systematic review registration
Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/enuwt).
... Despite this political hostility against SNAP, public health evidence and peer-reviewed literature are already pointing to the adverse effects of food insecurity on students' ability to persist toward graduation (Broton and Goldrick-Rab 2016). Maroto et al. (2015) study on the relationship between the prevalence of food insecurity and grade point average highlights that those food-insecure students were likelier to report a lower GPA (2.0-2.49) versus a higher GPA (3.5-4.0). ...
Food insecurity in universities has emerged as a critical issue, affecting students’ well-being and academic success. Factors contributing to food insecurity include rising tuition costs, inadequate financial aid, high living expenses, and limited access to affordable food options on or near campuses. Many students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, face difficult trade-offs between paying for tuition, housing, and food. Additionally, the stigma surrounding food insecurity often prevents students from seeking assistance. This chapter explores the underlying causes of food insecurity in higher education, its impact on student health and academic performance, and the importance of addressing this issue to promote equity and success in academic environments.
Participants: A critical public health issue facing many universities is food insecurity. Food insecurity has been associated with many academic, physical, and mental health issues. Although the number of campus-based food pantries has grown exponentially, self-, and social stigma have been associated with low rates of utilization. Methods: The current quantitative study examined perceptions of food pantry stigma among food insecure college students (n = 93) who have accessed food pantry services. Results: Results reveal moderate levels of food pantry stigma with no statistically significant differences in food pantry stigma scores by level of food security (p = .322) and frequency of food pantry use (p = .263). Few participants indicated perceptions of social stigma, yet mixed results were observed regarding self-stigma. Conclusion: More research is warranted aimed at gaining a better understanding of food pantry stigma among college students that can inform campus-based interventions, practices, and policies aimed at increasing the utilization of campus-based food pantry resources.
For the past three decades, food pantries have been an intermittent presence on college campuses; however, in the past decade or so, they have become more present, funded by universities, local food banks, and the occasional grant. For many colleges, food pantries exist with very soft and intermittent funds, if they are funded at all. Some are set up with one-off funds and thereafter exist under an unfunded mandate. This work explores the state of food pantries at institutions of higher education and shares a real-world case of pursuing grant funding for a local college food pantry.
While campus food pantries are growing increasingly popular as an intervention aimed
at improving student retention, little work has examined what it takes to start and
maintain these resources on the ground.We leverage data from 17 interviews with pantry
leaders, and social media posts and internal documents, to describe the creation and
institutionalization of the Grove Grocery at the University of Mississippi. Findings confirm the role of collaborative partnerships, the benefits of advisors serving as liaisons between student leaders and administrators, and the challenges of institutionalization within the higher education context, including university hesitancy, reliance on uncompensated student labor, lack of resource awareness, and stigma surrounding food insecurity.
Food security is given a high emphasis in today's culture, and campuses have a big impact on young people's attitudes and behaviours . This study explores how young people, primarily college students, feel about campus food security practises. By utilising a methodology that involves surveys, interviews, and observational data, we hope to better understand the factors that influence young people's acceptance of campus-based food security initiatives. This study offers insightful information about how college settings may encourage youth interest in and understanding of food security concerns. Policies and programs that better address food insecurity on college campuses and promote student initiative can be developed by utilizing the research findings as a guide. Ultimately, creating an environment that is more sustainable and food secure requires cultivating adolescent acceptance and engagement. Our understanding of how college environments might encourage young people's involvement in, and awareness of food security has been greatly advanced by this study. All the direct connections were found to be confirmed by the data when we used partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse the data. The study's conclusions can be used to create programmes and policies that better address food insecurity on college campuses and encourage kids to get involved in problem-solving. The key to creating a future that is more sustainable and food secure is to support young people's acceptance and engagement.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated student food insecurity on college campuses and exposed the vulnerability of institutions with no food emergency response. During the COVID-19 pandemic and for years to come, the need for social work to lead efforts on college campuses to address student food insecurity is even greater. The need will continue to be significant for social workers in higher education to support students with basic needs, including resources for food, housing, childcare, and transportation. As has been true after other pandemics and economic downturns, professionally trained social workers are critical to brokering resources for individuals in crisis. This article critically examines the role of social work education in addressing the issue of student food insecurity. Through a conceptual lens, it explores the many dimensions of this problem and highlights vital contributions that social work can make within a higher education setting to alleviate food insecurity, enhance student well-being, and promote equitable opportunities for academic success.
Academic libraries and campus food pantries are on the front lines of feeding college students experiencing food insecurity. Academic libraries are uniquely positioned to address these students. Food pantries located in academic libraries have many advantages over traditional food pantries, such as longer hours, greater accessibility, and staff with more customer service experience. This paper will focus on the budding partnership between the University of Maryland, Baltimore County’s Albin O. Kuhn Library and Retriever Essentials, the on-campus food access initiative. We will examine the campus demographics, specifically campus food insecurity statistics, and how that contributes to the overall need for the Library mini pantry space. In addition, we will also discuss ways to identify key partners, the ideal location, and the best pantry model to implement. The urgency of this initiative encourages us to include “tips to getting started” at your own campus. Usage statistics will also be briefed, and best practices, including the need to include culturally inclusive foods, will be reviewed as well as our next steps for the mini pantry.
This qualitative case study explores how neoliberalism affects how food insecure student‐parents experience higher education. Drawing on interviews with administrators, student activists, and student‐parents at one U.S. research university, this article argues that neoliberalism's emphasis on revenue generation and a shift toward individualism has significant consequences for the most marginalized students, creating an environment in which the university provides few resources to support them. We suggest that campuses should take steps to dismantle the ethic of carelessness, a lack of attention to students' care responsibilities, that has pervaded higher education.
Practical Takeaways
Universities increasingly rely on philanthropy to support marginalized students, but the reach of these philanthropic efforts is limited. In some cases, outside groups put stipulations on the receipt of funds, which shapes university programs.
Although food insecurity has received increasing attention at research universities, student‐parents are often neglected in campuswide initiatives, leaving many to seek out supports on their own.
Access to fresh, healthy, affordable foods is a pressing concern in cities worldwide. American cities are no exception. Although many scholars study food access in large cities, small and mid-sized American cities can provide valuable information about inequities in the food system. This paper focuses on two adjoining, racially mixed Mid-Michigan cities—Lansing and East Lansing. It examines the extent to which different food outlets exist in the cities and surrounding townships. It probes the following questions: (1) How are food outlets distributed throughout the cities and suburbs? (2) What is the relationship between neighborhood demographic characteristics and the distribution of food outlet types? We collected data on food outlets from September 2020 to June 2022 using Data Axle as our primary source of information. We used ArcGIS 10.8.1 for the spatial mapping and SPSS 28 for statistical analyses. We conducted regression analyses to identify the difference in the likelihood of finding food retailers in census tracts where 0–20% of the residents were People of Color (VL-POC), 20.01–40% of the inhabitants were People of Color (L-POC), 40.1–60% of the residents were People of Color (H-POC), and more than 60% of residents were People of Color (VH-POC). There were 1647 food outlets in the study area: 579 were in Lansing, 220 were in East Lansing, and the remaining 848 were in the surrounding townships. Restaurants dominated the food landscape, while small groceries and convenience stores were the grocery sector’s most common food outlet types. Supermarkets and large grocery stores comprised only 5.6% of the study area’s food outlets. The study finds a nonlinear relationship between the racial composition of census tracts and the prevalence of food outlets. The VH-POC census tracts had very few food outlets. For instance, the tracts had no supermarkets, mass merchandisers or supercenters, small grocery or convenience stores, pharmacies or drug stores, or farmers’ markets. The findings illustrate the diversity and complexity of the Lansing–East Lansing metropolitan area’s food landscape.
In recent decades, a growing proportion of college students have experienced financial stress, resulting in unmet essential needs including food insecurity, housing instability, lack of healthcare access, and inadequate mental health treatment. Given that urban-based public universities constitute a substantial proportion of the U.S. college student population, understanding how unmet needs affect academic achievement in this population is crucial for developing strategies that alleviate college failure and dropout. We examined the cumulative impact of unmet essential needs on indicators of college attrition (dropout, leave of absence, risk of academic probation). The sample comprised a population-representative sample of 1,833 students attending one of three urban public colleges in the Bronx, NY. Employing multinomial and binomial logistic regression models, we assessed how total unmet essential needs predicts any indicator of college attrition. Each unit increase in unmet need increased the odds of having any attrition indicator by 32% (p < 0.01). Students with one unmet need had 17% greater odds (p = 0.04), students with two unmet needs had 55% greater odds (p < 0.01), students with three unmet needs had 73% greater odds (p < 0.01), and students with four unmet needs had 82% greater odds (p < 0.01) of having any attrition indicator. Findings revealed a modest dose-response relationship between the number of unmet needs and the likelihood of experiencing indicators of attrition, supporting a potential causal link between unmet needs on the risk of attrition. Designing interventions aimed at college students with multiple unmet essential needs, and addressing these needs holistically, can potentially enhance student retention and graduation rates.
Compared with the general population, the prevalence of food insecurity (FI) is higher among college students. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated FI disparities and highlighted the need for further research to better understand and address FI in this population. Although race and ethnicity are two of the strongest predictors of FI among college students, little research is available on the determinants of FI among racial/ethnic minority college students. A cross-sectional study (n = 588) based on the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities research framework was examined to identify population-specific determinants of FI among racially/ethnically diverse college students through the assessment of multiple domains (behavioral, environmental, socio-cultural) and levels of influence (individual, interpersonal, and community levels). Discrimination was the sole predictor of FI for non-Hispanic Black students. Coping mechanisms for FI (savings, reduced intake) and body mass index (BMI) were predictors of FI for Hispanic and non-Hispanic White students. Additionally, decreased holistic support from faculty and staff was also observed as a predictor of FI in Hispanic students. Implications include the need for further research and the development of multi-level, tailored interventions to address FI among college students with the goal of decreasing disparities.
To assess the prevalence and identify possible predictors of food insecurity among college students at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.
Cross-sectional survey, including the US Department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Survey Module, demographic and spending variables.
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i (USA).
Four hundred and forty-one non-freshmen students from thirty-one randomly selected classes.
Twenty-one per cent of students surveyed were food-insecure, while 24 % were at risk of food insecurity. Students at higher risk of food insecurity included those who reported living on campus and those living off-campus with room mates. Those identifying themselves as Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, Filipinos and mixed were also at increased risk of food insecurity.
Food insecurity is a significant problem among college students at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. Food availability and accessibility should be increased for these students through the establishment of on-campus food banks and student gardens. Future studies should assess the prevalence of food insecurity in other college campuses nationwide.
Food insecurity is associated with nutrient inadequacy and a variety of unfavorable health outcomes. However, little is known about whether food security is associated with lower cognitive function in the elderly.
We investigated the prevalence of food insecurity in a representative sample of 1358 Puerto Ricans aged 45-75 y living in Massachusetts in relation to cognitive function performances.
Food security was assessed with the US Household Food Security Scale. Cognitive function was measured to capture general cognition with a battery of 7 tests: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), word list learning (verbal memory), digit span (attention), clock drawing and figure copying (visual-spatial ability), and Stroop and verbal fluency tests (fluency executive functioning).
The overall prevalence of food insecurity during the past 12 mo was 12.1%; 6.1% of the subjects reported very low food security. Food insecurity was inversely associated with global cognitive performance, as assessed by the MMSE score. The adjusted difference in the MMSE score was -0.90 (95% CI: -1.6, -0.19; P for trend = 0.003) for a comparison of participants with very low food security with those who were food secure, after adjustment for age, smoking, education, poverty status, income, acculturation, plasma homocysteine, alcohol, diabetes, and hypertension. Food insecurity was significantly associated with lower scores for word-list learning, percentage retention, letter fluency, and digit span backward tests.
Very low food security was prevalent among the study subjects and was associated with lower cognitive performance. Further studies, both observational and experimental, are warranted to clarify the direction of causality in this association.
Food insecurity has been associated with diverse developmental consequences for U.S. children primarily from cross-sectional studies. We used longitudinal data to investigate how food insecurity over time related to changes in reading and mathematics test performance, weight and BMI, and social skills in children. Data were from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, a prospective sample of approximately 21,000 nationally representative children entering kindergarten in 1998 and followed through 3rd grade. Food insecurity was measured by parent interview using a modification of the USDA module in which households were classified as food insecure if they reported > or =1 affirmative response in the past year. Households were grouped into 4 categories based on the temporal occurrence of food insecurity in kindergarten and 3rd grade. Children's academic performance, height, and weight were assessed directly. Children's social skills were reported by teachers. Analyses examined the effects of modified food insecurity on changes in child outcomes using lagged, dynamic, and difference (i.e., fixed-effects) models and controlling for child and household contextual variables. In lagged models, food insecurity was predictive of poor developmental trajectories in children before controlling for other variables. Food insecurity thus serves as an important marker for identifying children who fare worse in terms of subsequent development. In all models with controls, food insecurity was associated with outcomes, and associations differed by gender. This study provides the strongest empirical evidence to date that food insecurity is linked to specific developmental consequences for children, and that these consequences may be both nutritional and nonnutritional.
Household food insecurity is associated with multiple adverse outcomes in children and adolescents, including poor school performance. U.S. federal food assistance programs such as the Food Stamp Program (FSP) aim to help prevent household food insecurity and its outcomes. Program participation may act as a resource either to counteract the effects of constraints such as food insecurity or to modify the effects of food insecurity on outcomes. This study aimed to determine whether FSP participation was associated with child reading and mathematics learning, weight gain, and social skills and whether these associations depended on degree of estimated need for the program. Data used were from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten cohort, a large nationally representative sample. A difference (i.e., fixed-effects) model was used to minimize bias in the estimation of association resulting from unmeasured covariates. Starting FSP participation during the 4 years from K to third grade was associated with about a 3-point greater improvement in reading and mathematics score as compared with stopping FSP participation during that period. But it was for female students only that this association was large and significant. Children in households starting FSP participation had slightly but not significantly less weight gain compared with children in households stopping FSP participation. This study provides the strongest evidence to date that FSP participation plausibly has beneficial effects for children on nonnutritional outcomes, specifically academic learning. The mechanisms for this relationship are not well understood and may be through both dietary intake and stress.
Access to food is essential to optimal development and function in children and adults. Food security, food insecurity, and hunger have been defined and a U.S. Food Security Scale was developed and is administered annually by the Census Bureau in its Current Population Survey. The eight child-referenced items now make up a Children's Food Security Scale. This review summarizes the data on household and children's food insecurity and its relationship with children's health and development and with mothers' depressive symptoms. It is demonstrable that food insecurity is a prevalent risk to the growth, health, cognitive, and behavioral potential of America's poor and near-poor children. Infants and toddlers in particular are at risk from food insecurity even at the lowest levels of severity, and the data indicate an "invisible epidemic" of a serious condition. Food insecurity is readily measured and rapidly remediable through policy changes, which a country like the United States, unlike many others, is fully capable of implementing. The food and distribution resources exist; the only constraint is political will.
This paper addresses the importance of the first three years of life to the developing child, examines the importance of early childhood nutrition and the detrimental effects on child health and development due to poverty and food insecurity. As development experts learn more about the importance of the first three years of life, there is growing recognition that investments in early education, maternal-child attachment and nurturance, and more creative nutrition initiatives are critical to help break the cycle of poverty. Even the slightest forms of food insecurity can affect a young child's development and learning potential. The result is the perpetuation of another generation in poverty. Conceptualizing the poorly developed child as an embodiment of injustice helps ground the two essential frameworks needed to address food insecurity and child development: the capability approach and the human rights framework. The capability approach illuminates the dynamics that exist between poverty and child development through depicting poverty as capability deprivation and hunger as failure in the system of entitlements. The human rights framework frames undernutrition and poor development of young children as intolerable for moral and legal reasons, and provides a structure through which governments and other agencies of the State and others can be held accountable for redressing such injustices. Merging the development approach with human rights can improve and shape the planning, approach, monitoring and evaluation of child development while establishing international accountability in order to enhance the potential of the world's youngest children.
Aim: Food security is an important nutrition issue among vulnerable population groups such as the young and socioeconomically disadvantaged. The present study sought to identify and describe the prevalence, distribution and severity of food insecurity, and related behavioural adaptations, among a sample of Australian university students.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey design involving a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 39 food security-related and 15 demographic questions administered among a sample of university students.
Results: A sample of 399 students completed questionnaires representing a response rate of 71.5% of students invited to participate. Sample demography was representative of the total student population except for being overrepresented by full-time and international students. Food insecurity was evident in the student sample ranging from 12.7% to 46.5% (based on method of analysis). Student food insecurity was significantly associated with those renting, boarding or sharing accommodation, with low incomes or receiving government assistance. Coping strategies developed by students focused on income generation and austerity measures, included living with parents, working more than 10 hours per week outside of university and borrowing money and food. Students who reported food insecurity were more likely to rate their overall health status lower than those who were food secure.
Conclusion: The present study suggests university students are at significant risk of food insecurity in part attributed to inadequate income support. Further research is required to assess the broader determinants of food insecurity and appropriate strategy responses, including social support policies, in this population group.
Staying in school and graduating on time is an important factor for students and their families. Greater financial burdens may lead students to reduce coursework or drop out of school for paid work. A Web-based survey (N = 503) was conducted in fall 2004 at a large public university to examine the characteristics of students who experienced dropping out or reducing credit hours due to financial reasons. Analyses were conducted to compare these students with those who did not drop out or reduce their coursework. Findings show the relationship between financial stress and academic performance.
To determine the effect of Food Stamp Nutrition Education (FSNE) in Indiana on participants' food insecurity and food insufficiency.
A single-blind randomized design. A randomized experimental group completed 5 FSNE lessons as an intervention between a pre- and posttest, whereas a control group completed a pre- and posttest without FSNE intervention.
Client homes and community locations in 24 Indiana counties.
Female head-of-household participants >or= 18 years old; n = 219.
FSNE lessons targeting food insecurity and nutrition.
Dependent variables food insecurity and food insufficiency were quantified with the 6-item United States Household Food Security Scale and United States Department of Agriculture Food Insufficiency Question, respectively. The independent variable was the randomly assigned treatment group.
Participants' characteristics were compared with chi-square analysis. Analyses of covariance models were constructed to find the effect of treatment group on food insecurity and food insufficiency. Significance indicated at P <or= .05.
Food insecurity and food insufficiency in the experimental group compared with the control group were significantly improved (P = .03, P = .04, respectively).
FSNE was successful in improving participants' food insecurity and food insufficiency, indicating nutrition education is an appropriate intervention for food insecurity.
Eighty-nine percent of American households were food secure throughout the entire year 2001. The rest were food insecure at least some time during the year, meaning they did not always have access to enough food for active, healthy lives for all household members because they lacked sufficient money or other resources for food. The prevalence of food insecurity rose from 10.1 percent in 1999 to 10.7 percent in 2001, and the prevalence of food insecurity with hunger rose from 3.0 percent to 3.3 percent during the same period. This report, based on data from the December 2001 food security survey, provides the most recent statistics on the food security of U.S. households, as well as on how much they spent for food and the extent to which food-insecure households participated in Federal and community food assistance programs. Survey responses indicate that the typical food-secure household in the United States spent 32 percent more than the typical food-insecure household of the same size and household composition. About one-half of all food-insecure households participated in one or more of the three largest Federal food assistance programs during the month prior to the survey. About 19 percent of food-insecure households—2.8 percent of all U.S. households—obtained emergency food from a food pantry at some time during the year.
Eighty-nine percent of American households were food secure throughout the entire year 2002, meaning that they had access, at all times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members. The remaining households were food insecure at least some time during that year. The prevalence of food insecurity rose from 10.7 percent in 2001 to 11.1 percent in 2002, and the prevalence of food insecurity with hunger rose from 3.3 percent to 3.5 percent. This report, based on data from the December 2002 food security survey, provides the most recent statistics on the food security of U.S. households, as well as on how much they spent for food and the extent to which food-insecure households participated in Federal and community food assistance programs. Survey responses indicate that the typical food-secure household in the U.S. spent 35 percent more on food than the typical food-insecure household of the same size and household composition. Just over one-half of all food-insecure households participated in one or more of the three largest Federal food assistance programs during the month prior to the survey. About 19 percent of food-insecure households—3.0 percent of all U.S. households—obtained emergency food from a food pantry at some time during the year.
Using large-scale surveys from nine states, the Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project (CCHIP) estimates that 8% of American children under the age of 12 years experience hunger each year. CCHIP operationalizes child hunger as multiple experiences of parent-reported food insufficiency due to constrained resources. The current study examined the relationship between food insufficiency and school-age, low-income children's psychosocial functioning. The study also assessed the interinformant (parent versus child) reliability and time-to-time reliability of the CCHIP measure.
Two hundred four school-age children and their parents from four inner-city public schools were interviewed using parent, teacher, and clinician report measures of psychosocial functioning. Ninety-six children and their parents were reinterviewed 4 months later.
Hungry and at-risk for hunger children were twice as likely as not-hungry children to be classified as having impaired functioning by parent and child report. Teachers reported higher levels of hyperactivity, absenteeism, and tardiness among hungry/at-risk children than not-hungry children. Parent and child reports of hunger were significantly related to each other, and time-to-time reliability of the CCHIP measure was acceptable.
Results of this study suggest that intermittent experiences of food insufficiency and hunger as measured by CCHIP are associated with poor behavioral and academic functioning in low-income children. The current study also supports the validity and reliability of the CCHIP measure for assessing hunger in children.
The most recent survey effort to determine the extent of food insecurity and hunger in the United States, the Food Security Supplement, included a series of questions to assess this complex phenomenon. The primary measure developed from this Food Security Supplement was based on measurement concepts, methods and items from two previously developed measures. This paper presents the evidence available that questionnaire-based measures, in particular the national food security measure, provide valid measurement of food insecurity and hunger for population and individual uses. The paper discusses basic ideas about measurement and criteria for establishing validity of measures and then uses these criteria to structure an examination of the research results available to establish the validity of food security measures. The results show that the construction of the national food security measure is well grounded in our understanding of food insecurity and hunger, its performance is consistent with that understanding, it is precise within usual performance standards, dependable, accurate at both group and individual levels within reasonable performance standards, and its accuracy is attributable to the well-grounded understanding. These results provide strong evidence that the Food Security Supplement provides valid measurement of food insecurity and hunger for population and individual uses. Further validation research is required for subgroups of the population, not yet studied for validation purposes, to establish validity for monitoring population changes in prevalence and to develop and validate robust and contextually sensitive measures in a variety of countries that reflect how people experience and think about food insecurity and hunger.
This study investigates associations between food insufficiency and cognitive, academic, and psychosocial outcomes for US children and teenagers ages 6 to 11 and 12 to 16 years.
Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) were analyzed. Children were classified as food-insufficient if the family respondent reported that his or her family sometimes or often did not get enough food to eat. Regression analyses were conducted to test for associations between food insufficiency and cognitive, academic, and psychosocial measures in general and then within lower-risk and higher-risk groups. Regression coefficients and odds ratios for food insufficiency are reported, adjusted for poverty status and other potential confounding factors.
After adjusting for confounding variables, 6- to 11-year-old food-insufficient children had significantly lower arithmetic scores and were more likely to have repeated a grade, have seen a psychologist, and have had difficulty getting along with other children. Food-insufficient teenagers were more likely to have seen a psychologist, have been suspended from school, and have had difficulty getting along with other children. Further analyses divided children into lower-risk and higher-risk groups. The associations between food insufficiency and children's outcomes varied by level of risk.
The results demonstrate that negative academic and psychosocial outcomes are associated with family-level food insufficiency and provide support for public health efforts to increase the food security of American families.
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that systematic and sustained action is needed to bring an end to domestic food insecurity and hunger and to achieve food and nutrition security for all in the United States. The Association believes that immediate and long-range interventions are needed, including adequate funding for and increased utilization of food and nutrition assistance programs, the inclusion of food and nutrition education in all programs providing food and nutrition assistance, and innovative programs to promote and support the economic self-sufficiency of individuals and families, to end food insecurity and hunger in the United States. Food insecurity continues to exist in the United States, with over 38 million people experiencing it sometime in 2004. Negative nutritional and nonnutritional outcomes have been associated with food insecurity in adults, adolescents, and children, including poor dietary intake and nutritional status, poor health, increased risk for the development of chronic diseases, poor psychological and cognitive functioning, and substandard academic achievement. Dietetics professionals can play a key role in ending food insecurity and hunger and are uniquely positioned to make valuable contributions through provision of comprehensive food and nutrition education, competent and collaborative practice, innovative research related to accessing a safe and secure food supply, and advocacy efforts at the local, state, regional, and national levels.
Child health and nutrition are strongly associated with educational achievement. But associations do not necessarily indicate causality; estimates generally are likely to be biased in one direction or the other. As a result analysts and policymakers should have much less confidence in findings about the effect of health on schooling success than has been claimed in previous surveys. The evidence is more nuanced and qualified than is often recognized but may still support the conclusion that health may have considerable effects on postschooling productivity. Policy implications point toward providing public subsidies for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information about the links between health and education; and toward providing services to improve the health of poor children. Copyright 1996 by Oxford University Press.
This study investigates the correlation between food insecurity, educational achievement, and health among kindergarten children in the United States. Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Kindergarten Cohort are used to analyze educational achievement and physical growth of kindergartners faced with food insecurity. The results demonstrate that children begin to experience the effects of food insecurity even at the most marginal level of household food deprivation. Children in households with any signs of food insecurity score lower and learn less during the school year. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.
Food security in the United States: Household survey tools
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Household food security in the United States in 1995: Summary report of the Food Security Measurement Project
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Low income student persistence to timely graduation as a function of the academic experience
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Healthy People 2020: Topics and objectives
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Food insecurity and hunger in the United States: An assessment of the measure
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