What is the Food Security Status, Self-rated Health, and Diet of Students Using a University-based Food Bank? PDF Download

Author: Jasmine Farahbakhsh
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Food security
Languages : en
Pages : 130

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Book Description
Background: Food insecurity is the limited or uncertain ability to obtain the quantity and/or quality of food that an individual or household needs. The topic of household food insecurity has been investigated in myriad vulnerable groups, including low-income families, women, black and Hispanic households, immigrants, and indigenous populations. Very little work has been conducted on post-secondary students who experience food insecurity. Objectives: This study aimed to describe the food security status and characteristics of students using the Campus Food Bank, and to compare the self-rated health and well-being, diet, and academics between students with severe and non-severe food insecurity. Methods: Face-to-face, structured interviews were conducted with university students who use a campus-based food bank. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, t-tests, and logistic regression were used to process the data on SPSS 21. Results: Fifty-eight students were recruited; the average age was 30.0 ± 8.3 years, 60% were females, 47% were international students, and 50% were graduate students. The majority of students (90%) experienced some degree of food insecurity. Students with severe food insecurity were more likely to experience poor overall health (OR 4.06, 95% CI 1.10-14.78) and mental health (OR 4.96, 95% CI 1.28-19.19), and consume fewer daily fruits, vegetables and legumes (t=2.72, p=0.009) compared to students with non-severe food insecurity. While most students perceived that their academics suffered because of food insecurity, the academic outcomes were more pronounced among students with severe food insecurity. Compared to the University of Alberta student population, and all students who use the Campus Food Bank, our sample had significantly more graduate students, and international students. Discussion / Conclusion: The findings are a testament to the variety of adverse outcomes that food insecurity can have on students' lives. Freezing tuition and compulsory fees and instating a Guaranteed Annual Income for all Canadians could improve the food situation of post-secondary students. Further, food banks could better cater to their clientele by implementing more empowering forms of food aid (such as grocery store gift cards), and asking clients about the foods they would like to receive. This research has provided foundational knowledge about students who access campus food banks. Longitudinal research is needed to ascertain directionality of the association between food insecurity and well-being, and to explore longer-term outcomes of post-secondary student food insecurity, such as graduation rates and employability.

Author: Katharine M. Broton
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
ISBN: 1421437724
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 305

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Crutchfield, James Dubick, Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield, Sara Goldrick-Rab, Jordan Herrera, Nicole Hindes, Russell Lowery-Hart, Jennifer J. Maguire, Michael Rosen, Sabrina Sanders, Rachel Sumekh

Author: Sara Goldrick-Rab
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022640448X
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 382

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Book Description
A “bracing and well-argued” study of America’s college debt crisis—“necessary reading for anyone concerned about the fate of American higher education” (Kirkus). College is far too expensive for many people today, and the confusing mix of federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid leaves countless students without the resources they need to pay for it. In Paying the Price, education scholar Sara Goldrick-Rab reveals the devastating effect of these shortfalls. Goldrick-Rab examines a study of 3,000 students who used the support of federal aid and Pell Grants to enroll in public colleges and universities in Wisconsin in 2008. Half the students in the study left college without a degree, while less than 20 percent finished within five years. The cause of their problems, time and again, was lack of money. Unable to afford tuition, books, and living expenses, they worked too many hours at outside jobs, dropped classes, took time off to save money, and even went without adequate food or housing. In many heartbreaking cases, they simply left school—not with a degree, but with crippling debt. Goldrick-Rab combines that data with devastating stories of six individual students, whose struggles make clear the human and financial costs of our convoluted financial aid policies. In the final section of the book, Goldrick-Rab offers a range of possible solutions, from technical improvements to the financial aid application process, to a bold, public sector–focused “first degree free” program. "Honestly one of the most exciting books I've read, because [Goldrick-Rab has] solutions. It's a manual that I'd recommend to anyone out there, if you're a parent, if you're a teacher, if you're a student."—Trevor Noah, The Daily Show

Author: M. Margaret Barth, PhD
Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
ISBN: 0826146856
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 503

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Book Description
Public Health Nutrition is a comprehensive, practice-based textbook for graduate and upper undergraduate students and community nutrition and public health professionals. It provides readers with the principal understanding of how improving access to healthy foods at individual, local, regional and global levels as well as improving food security and sustainability can improve community health and combat noncommunicable diseases, infectious diseases, hunger and malnutrition, obesity, social injustice, and debilitating food environments. Across diverse communities, this book not only directs readers’ attention towards key public health nutrition-related challenges that affect rural and urban populations across the globe, it also adds critical thinking exercises, cases, and engaging discussion topics to advance application of evidence-based practice in the real world. Using an interprofessional approach and supported with evidence-based research in public health, nutritional science, and behavioral economics, this textbook covers how to plan health promotion programs and interventions in diverse communities, how to analyze and influence food policy, sustainability, and security initiatives, and how to address cultural competency, nutritional monitoring, professional development, and many other practice-based skills out in the field.. All chapters are complete with learning objectives, detailed case studies, discussion questions, learning activities for beyond the classroom, and a review of core topics covered. Essential for public health students studying nutrition, public policy, social work, and other health science-related areas, the book presents a strategic context to real-world initiatives while employing an interprofessional outlook to tackle public health nutrition issues. Key Features Addresses key public health nutrition-related challenges in working with rural, urban, global, and culturally and geographically diverse communities to improve outcomes Utilizes interprofessional and evidence-based approaches to food and water systems, food security, and food sovereignty Includes coverage of important trends, such as telehealth, mHealth, collaborative grantsmanship, and innovative communication strategies Highlights the aims of Healthy People 2030, Feed the Future, and Sustainability Development Goals Fosters skills and builds competencies related to community health needs assessment, problem-solving and critical thinking, systems thinking, evidence-based public health practice, and leadership Features case studies, suggested learning activities, reflection questions, an extensive glossary, and more in all chapters Includes a full range of instructor ancillaries including an Instructor's Manual, PowerPoints, Test Bank, Image Bank, and Syllabus Purchase includes access to the ebook for use on most mobile devices or computers

Author: Jennifer A. King
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : College students
Languages : en
Pages : 86

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Book Description
Introduction: Food insecurity is the limited or uncertain access to nutritionally adequate foods acquired in a socially acceptable manner in order to live an active and healthy life (Anderson, 1990). It has become a high priority public health issue affecting 12-59% of college students making the transition from late adolescence to young adulthood. Risk factors that impact students' vulnerability to food insecurity have been identified and provide rationale for institutions of higher education to take action to ensure adequate student wellbeing. The purpose of this exploratory study is to assess the prevalence and identify predictors of food insecurity among college students, and identify factors that either facilitate or inhibit food assistance resource use. Methodology:A 37-item, online anonymous survey was distributed to students enrolled at a large, Midwestern public university with a campus food pantry on two of eight campuses. Data were collected using a time-modified version of the USDA Food Security Survey Module, a list of stressors compiled with guidance from the National College Health Assessment, as well as a series of questions about food assistance resource use and perceived barriers to accessing assistance. Descriptive statistics were generated to report the prevalence of food insecurity among the sample, barriers to campus food pantry use, and method of resource use. Additionally, simple and multiple multinomial logistic regression were conducted to identify variables significantly associated with food security status and method of food assistance resource use.Results:Among the sample of 4,188 survey participants (14.4% response rate), 35.7% (n=1,495) were food insecure (18.1% and 17.6% experienced low food security and very low food security, respectively). The highest prevalence of food insecurity was observed in students who are female (n=1,022; 69.8%), between the ages of 18-24 (n=1,268; 84.8%), and undergraduate (n=1,287; 86.1%). Students who had very low food security were nearly twice as likely to report experiencing stress about their ability to get food (OR=3.3) versus stress about paying for school (OR=1.3) and housing (OR=1.2). Though food pantries exist at both campuses, only 23% (n=960) of study participants were aware of them. Several perceived barriers to campus food pantry use included lack of knowledge of how to use the resource (77.1%), not wanting others to know of need (59%), and not wanting to be served by peers (50%). Informal resources, such as attending an event serving food, and borrowing or asking others for help, were the most commonly reported means of food assistance used. Approximately 70% (n=1,022) of food insecure students used these methods to acquire meals, while only 1.2% (n=17) reported use of a formal resource (i.e. local food pantry).Conclusion: With over one-third of study participants reporting food insecurity, it is evident that this prominent public health issue significantly impacts this target population. Interdisciplinary intervention development is necessary to address the prevalence of food insecurity of college students and further understand its association with risk factors, as well as assess the barriers to seeking assistance.

Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309180368
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 156

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Book Description
The United States is viewed by the world as a country with plenty of food, yet not all households in America are food secure, meaning access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. A proportion of the population experiences food insecurity at some time in a given year because of food deprivation and lack of access to food due to economic resource constraints. Still, food insecurity in the United States is not of the same intensity as in some developing countries. Since 1995 the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has annually published statistics on the extent of food insecurity and food insecurity with hunger in U.S. households. These estimates are based on a survey measure developed by the U.S. Food Security Measurement Project, an ongoing collaboration among federal agencies, academic researchers, and private organizations. USDA requested the Committee on National Statistics of the National Academies to convene a panel of experts to undertake a two-year study in two phases to review at this 10-year mark the concepts and methodology for measuring food insecurity and hunger and the uses of the measure. In Phase 2 of the study the panel was to consider in more depth the issues raised in Phase 1 relating to the concepts and methods used to measure food security and make recommendations as appropriate. The Committee on National Statistics appointed a panel of 10 experts to examine the above issues. In order to provide timely guidance to USDA, the panel issued an interim Phase 1 report, Measuring Food Insecurity and Hunger: Phase 1 Report. That report presented the panel's preliminary assessments of the food security concepts and definitions; the appropriateness of identifying hunger as a severe range of food insecurity in such a survey-based measurement method; questions for measuring these concepts; and the appropriateness of a household survey for regularly monitoring food security in the U.S. population. It provided interim guidance for the continued production of the food security estimates. This final report primarily focuses on the Phase 2 charge. The major findings and conclusions based on the panel's review and deliberations are summarized.

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309496500
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 119

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Book Description
With U.S. health care costs projected to grow at an average rate of 5.5 percent per year from 2018 to 2027, or 0.8 percentage points faster than the gross domestic product, and reach nearly $6.0 trillion per year by 2027, policy makers and a wide range of stakeholders are searching for plausible actions the nation can take to slow this rise and keep health expenditures from consuming an ever greater portion of U.S. economic output. While health care services are essential to heath, there is growing recognition that social determinants of health are important influences on population health. Supporting this idea are estimates that while health care accounts for some 10 to 20 percent of the determinants of health, socioeconomic factors and factors related to the physical environment are estimated to account for up to 50 percent of the determinants of health. Challenges related to the social determinants of health at the individual level include housing insecurity and poor housing quality, food insecurity, limitations in access to transportation, and lack of social support. These social needs affect access to care and health care utilization as well as health outcomes. Health care systems have begun exploring ways to address non-medical, health-related social needs as a way to reduce health care costs. To explore the potential effect of addressing non-medical health-related social needs on improving population health and reducing health care spending in a value-driven health care delivery system, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine held a full-day public workshop titled Investing in Interventions that Address Non-Medical, Health-Related Social Needs on April 26, 2019, in Washington, DC. The objectives of the workshop were to explore effective practices and the supporting evidence base for addressing the non-medical health-related social needs of individuals, such as housing and food insecurities; review assessments of return on investment (ROI) for payers, healthy systems, and communities; and identify gaps and opportunities for research and steps that could help to further the understanding of the ROI on addressing non-medical health-related social needs. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
ISBN: 925132901X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 320

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Book Description
Updates for many countries have made it possible to estimate hunger in the world with greater accuracy this year. In particular, newly accessible data enabled the revision of the entire series of undernourishment estimates for China back to 2000, resulting in a substantial downward shift of the series of the number of undernourished in the world. Nevertheless, the revision confirms the trend reported in past editions: the number of people affected by hunger globally has been slowly on the rise since 2014. The report also shows that the burden of malnutrition in all its forms continues to be a challenge. There has been some progress for child stunting, low birthweight and exclusive breastfeeding, but at a pace that is still too slow. Childhood overweight is not improving and adult obesity is on the rise in all regions. The report complements the usual assessment of food security and nutrition with projections of what the world may look like in 2030, if trends of the last decade continue. Projections show that the world is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 and, despite some progress, most indicators are also not on track to meet global nutrition targets. The food security and nutritional status of the most vulnerable population groups is likely to deteriorate further due to the health and socio economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report puts a spotlight on diet quality as a critical link between food security and nutrition. Meeting SDG 2 targets will only be possible if people have enough food to eat and if what they are eating is nutritious and affordable. The report also introduces new analysis of the cost and affordability of healthy diets around the world, by region and in different development contexts. It presents valuations of the health and climate-change costs associated with current food consumption patterns, as well as the potential cost savings if food consumption patterns were to shift towards healthy diets that include sustainability considerations. The report then concludes with a discussion of the policies and strategies to transform food systems to ensure affordable healthy diets, as part of the required efforts to end both hunger and all forms of malnutrition.

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
ISBN: 9251305722
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 278

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Book Description
New evidence this year corroborates the rise in world hunger observed in this report last year, sending a warning that more action is needed if we aspire to end world hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. Updated estimates show the number of people who suffer from hunger has been growing over the past three years, returning to prevailing levels from almost a decade ago. Although progress continues to be made in reducing child stunting, over 22 percent of children under five years of age are still affected. Other forms of malnutrition are also growing: adult obesity continues to increase in countries irrespective of their income levels, and many countries are coping with multiple forms of malnutrition at the same time – overweight and obesity, as well as anaemia in women, and child stunting and wasting.

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Food consumption
Languages : en
Pages : 72

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Book Description