Document Tag: food insecurity

Filling the Gap: CalFresh Eligibility Among University of California and California Community College Students (2024)

Food insecurity is widespread among college students in the United States. Food benefits
delivered through the CalFresh program, California’s version of the federal Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), can reduce hunger by helping students pay for
groceries, but may not reach all eligible students. To date, higher education systems have
lacked good estimates of the share of their students who are eligible for CalFresh and the
share who actually receive benefits.
To address this information gap, the California Policy
Lab (CPL) partnered with the California Community College (CCC) Chancellor’s Office,
the University of California Office of the President (UCOP), the California Department
of Social Services (CDSS), and the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) to build a
linked database of student-level administrative data on college enrollment, financial aid, and
CalFresh participation. This database covers all students enrolled at CCC or UC campuses
from academic years 2010–11 through 2021–22, along with corresponding FAFSA
submissions and CalFresh participation. Using these data, we are able to measure how
many college students are likely eligible for CalFresh, and of those how many participate.

Food Insecurity Pipeline: How Latinx Immigration-Impacted Students in Higher Education Navigate the Food Insecurity Cycle (2024)

Systemic inequities increase the risk of material hardships, including food insecurity, among
immigrant households. Informed by 33 qualitative interviews with Latina/o/x undergraduate
students who are undocumented or U.S. citizens with undocumented parents, we examine
their experiences of food insecurity in their day-to-day lives. We find a food insecurity pipeline as
students’ experiences of food insecurity begin early in childhood in their homes and continue
in their adulthood on their college campuses. Food insecurity has implications for their wellbeing, and they rely on their strengths and networks to survive food insecurity. The study
has implications for immigration policy, practice, and higher education institutions serving this
vulnerable population.

Advancing college food security: priority research gaps (2023)

Despite over a decade of both quantitative and qualitative studies, food insecurity among US college/university students remains a pervasive problem within higher education. The purpose of this perspective piece was to highlight research gaps in the area of college food insecurity and provide rationale for the research community to focus on these gaps going forward. A group of food insecurity researchers from a variety of higher education institutions across the United States identified five thematic areas of research gaps: screening and estimates of food insecurity; longitudinal changes in food insecurity; impact of food insecurity on broader health and academic outcomes; evaluation of impact, sustainability and cost effectiveness of existing programmes and initiatives; and state and federal policies and programmes. Within these thematic areas, nineteen specific research gaps were identified that have limited or no peer-reviewed, published research. These research gaps result in a limited understanding of the magnitude, severity and persistence of college food insecurity, the negative short- and long-term impacts of food insecurity on health, academic performance and overall college experience, and effective solutions and policies to prevent or meaningfully address food insecurity among college students. Research in these identified priority areas may help accelerate action and interdisciplinary collaboration to alleviate food insecurity among college students and play a critical role in informing the development or refinement of programmes and services that better support college student food security needs.

Prevalence of and Contributors to Food Insecurity Among College Athletes: A Scoping Review (2024)

Abstract: Given the financial demands of attending college, the transition to new living situations,
abrupt changes in social support, and overall lifestyle adjustments, college students are at an
increased risk of food insecurity (FI) compared to the general population. Collegiate athletes
experience an even greater risk of FI as a result of greater time commitments and energy demands
associated with their sports. This heightened vulnerability poses a tremendous threat to student athletes’ academic and athletic achievements. This study aims to address the prevalence and
primary determinants of FI among collegiate athletes while providing potential solutions to
navigate and alleviate the effects of diminished food security among this demographic. To address
these aims, a total of 18 articles were selected from both peer-reviewed and gray literature. The U.S.
Household Food Security Survey Module (US-HFSSM) survey tools were predominantly utilized
across universities throughout the United States to gather data on FI. Student-athletes reported
experiencing FI across various regions of the United States, including universities in northeastern
states (n=5), the southwest region (n=3), the southeast region (n=3), the northwest (n=1), and the
Midwest (n=1). Overall, FI prevalence rates ranged from 9.9% to 65% and the most significant
contributors included limited financial resources, time management, meal plans, and housing
location/amenities. These findings highlight a need for screening, education, and intervention to
address FI among collegiate athletes.

Interventions to address household food insecurity in high-income countries (2018)

Household food insecurity is a serious public health concern in high-income countries. Canada and the USA regularly monitor household food insecurity, while in other countries, such as the UK, it has been the rapid rise of food bank usage that has drawn increased attention to this longstanding, but largely overlooked, problem. This review evaluates evidence on interventions intended to reduce household food insecurity in high-income countries. Research on social protection interventions suggests both cash transfers and food subsidies (e.g. the US Supplement Nutrition and Assistance Programme) reduce household food insecurity. In contrast, research on community-level interventions, such as food banks and other food programmes, suggests limited impacts. Although food banks have become a common intervention for food insecurity in high-income countries, evidence suggests their reliance on donations of volunteer time and food make them inevitably limited in the assistance they are able to provide. The stigma people feel using food banks may also make them untenable. Alternatives to, or enhanced, food banks such as community shops or community kitchens, have become common, but evidence also suggests they may be limited in effectiveness if they do not reach people experiencing food insecurity. This review highlights the difficulty of trying to address household food insecurity with community-based food interventions when solutions likely lie upstream in social protection policies.

The Role of Food Banks in Addressing Food Insecurity: A Systematic Review (2016)

Food banks play a major role in the food aid sector by distributing donated and purchased groceries directly to food insecure families. The public health implications of food insecurity are significant, particularly as food insecurity has a higher prevalence among certain population groups. This review consolidates current knowledge about the function and efficacy of food banks to address food insecurity. A systematic review was conducted. Thirty-five publications were reviewed, of which 14 examined food security status, 13 analysed nutritional quality of food provided, and 24 considered clients’ needs in relation to food bank use. This review found that while food banks have an important role to play in providing immediate solutions to severe food deprivation, they are limited in their capacity to improve overall food security outcomes due to the limited provision of nutrient-dense foods in insufficient amounts, especially from dairy, vegetables and fruits. Food banks have the potential to improve food security outcomes when operational resources are adequate, provisions of perishable food groups are available, and client needs are identified and addressed.

Nutrition Knowledge, Food Insecurity, and Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Underserved College Students A Pilot Study (2024)

An online, cross-sectional survey examined food insecurity, adverse childhood experiences, academics, health status, dieting, and associations with nutrition knowledge among 83 freshmen Educational Opportunity Program university students in California. Mean (SD) nutrition knowledge was 13.6 (5.0) out of a perfect score of 29. Most students (84%) reported being food secure. The median adverse childhood experiences score was 1.00 (interquartile range, 0.00-3.00), an indication of intermediate risk for toxic stress, and the mean (SD) high school grade point average was 3.62 (0.38) out of 4. More adverse childhood experiences were associated with higher nutrition knowledge (P = .005). High school grade point average predicted nutrition knowledge (P = .003). The results may be helpful in designing larger, more representative studies of the Educational Opportunity Program population and finding helpful interventions.

Examining prevalence and predictors of food insecurity for transition-age youth transitioning out of foster care (2024)

Transition-age youth with foster care involvement (TAY) face significant risks for food insecurity and other hardships in early adulthood. Using representative survey data of youth transitioning out of foster care in California, we examine the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity. We find that about 30% of study participants were food insecure at ages 19, 21, and 23. We also identify multiple risk and protective factors associated with being food insecure, such as TAY’s sexual identity and receipt of public benefits. The results of our study offer life-stage-specific recommendations for policy and practice to address food insecurity among TAY.

Food Fuels Futures: Expanded SNAP Eligibility Reduces Hunger Among College Students (2024)

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services declared and continually
renewed the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration starting in March 2020. Congress and the Trump and Biden administrations authorized various adjustments in SNAP to address the massive economic and health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2020, during the PHE, Congress authorized two additional exemptions for college students, as well as other SNAP enhancements through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.5 SNAP eligibility was expanded to college students with low incomes who were eligible for work-study or had an expected family contribution (EFC) of $0 in the current academic year. These exemptions expired after the end of the PHE on July 1, 2023, meaning that students who met either of these criteria were no longer eligible for SNAP unless they satisfied another exemption or the work-to-eat rule. This report — informed by interviews with college students — sets forth reasons why these expansions were so vital to college students during the PHE and why decision-makers should build on these lessons and eliminate the “work-to-eat
rule” so that more college students can focus on learning rather than being distracted by hunger. Additionally, although the temporary expansions have ended, there is legislation, known as the Enhance Access to SNAP (EATS) Act, which would ensure all students with low incomes facing food insecurity could access SNAP.

Food security as a basic need: College students need greater support from institutional administration (2024)

Food insecurity among college students has become a growing concern, with reports documenting
its prevalence for over a decade. As the demographics of university and college students change,
with more first-generation, nontraditional, and minority students, the risk of food insecurity is
heightened. This viewpoint contends that food security is an essential basic need among college
students, and when left unmet, it significantly impacts their well-being, resulting in an increased risk
of poor academic performance or departure from higher education before degree completion. To
combat this issue, universities and colleges must develop and sustain food security initiatives and
programs, with administrators playing a critical role. We highlight key areas in which institutional
administration can take actionable steps to dedicate the necessary support and resources to
proposed and ongoing programs, foster an equitable campus culture, and be advocates for policies
at the state and federal level that promote students’ food security.