Why Research College Food Insecurity?

Food insecurity is defined as “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” 3 While food insecurity has been a major topic in public health for years, the focus on college food insecurity has been under recognized, under researched, and not extensively addressed.

Food insecurity in college students has begun to change as the economic situations and demographics of college students evolve over time. A stereotypical image of a college student may be a young person right out of high school being supported by an upper middle-class family who can afford to help their child financially in college. However, national policy efforts during the Obama administration have created new opportunities for students at both 2 year and 4-year institutions, with 44% of students seeking a bachelor’s degree being a student of color and 56% of all undergraduates being first generation college students.4 Some groups that experience higher rates of discrimination like Blacks, Latinos, Indigenous, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer (LGBTQ), disabled, and part-time students are also known to have a higher likelihood of being food insecure.5 Expenses from tuition, fees, housing, transportation and food are increasing faster than financial aid offered by universities, resulting in students forgoing food to pay other expenses.5 Increasing wealth inequality and student loan debt, plus the increasing acceptance of more diverse students at universities with varying socioeconomic backgrounds, should also be considered.6,7 As the makeup of the U.S keeps changing, food insecurity is becoming more common in college students and more barriers are being discovered that prevent them from finishing their education. This makes addressing food insecurity a necessity to ensure that all students are given the tools to succeed.