Oregon State University Food Security Study (2022)

Food insecurity (FI) is an ongoing concern on college campuses across the U.S. Food insecurity is defined by the United Stated Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service as a lack of access to enough food for an active and healthy life (USDA ERS, 2022). This report summarizes findings from the second formal study of the prevalence and patterns of FI among OSU students on the Corvallis campus, conducted in Spring 2022. FI was measured using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 10-item Food Security Survey Module (FSSM) with a 2-item food sufficiency screener (as shown in Appendix A). Two sampling strategies were employed in an effort to improve upon existing sampling methods commonly used for estimating FI among college students. These findings can be used to inform OSU’s plan to ensure equitable food access among all students.