scholarly journals Exploring Undergraduate Indigenous Students’ Experiences with Institutional and Community Food Systems in a Canadian Urban Setting

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 252-252
Author(s):  
Hannah Neufeld ◽  
Hannah Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Indigenous Students ◽  
Community Food Systems ◽  
The University

Abstract Objectives Due to the high prevalence rates of food insecurity among university students and Indigenous Peoples in Canada, a qualitative study was designed to investigate the experiences of self-identified Indigenous students accessing local food environments. Research objectives included: 1) exploring undergraduate Indigenous students' experiences with institutional and community food systems in an urban setting; and 2) examining programs in place or in development on and off-campus that address circumstances of food insecurity and the needs of Indigenous students. Methods Data collection included face-to-face semi-structured interviews with eight students who self-identified as First Nations, Inuit or Métis. A focus group was conducted with four service providers, including stakeholders from institutional and local urban communities. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Participants identified several themes that were organized into individual, interpersonal organizational and community levels according to the socio-ecological model. Themes included: food and nutrition knowledge, financial capacity, convenience, social influences, campus food environment, cultural and institutional support. A model was also created to represent the results based on the themes from the focus group data. Focus group participants discussed linkages of social support and connectedness to increase Indigenous student access to food systems beyond the parameters of the university institution. Barriers to local food systems for students were lack of awareness of local resources and stigma associated with emergency food assistance. Conclusions Results suggest that Indigenous students are primarily focused on individual food and interpersonal social environments at the university and have limited awareness and exposure to the services available in the wider community and local food environment. Indigenous students and community members require an increased level of organizational and community awareness to support urban Indigenous food security programming across food environments to sustainably address circumstances of food insecurity experienced by Indigenous university students. Funding Sources The Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, The University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

scholarly journals Prevalence of food insecurity and satisfaction with on-campus food choices among Australian university students

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Murray ◽  
Corey Peterson ◽  
Carmen Primo ◽  
Catherine Elliott ◽  
Margaret Otlowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The University

Purpose Food insecurity and poor access to healthy food is known to compromise tertiary studies in university students, and food choices are linked to student perceptions of the campus food environment. The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence, demographic and education characteristics associated with food insecurity in a sample of Australian university students and their satisfaction with on-campus food choices. Design/methodology/approach An online, cross-sectional survey conducted as part of the bi-annual sustainability themed survey was conducted at the University of Tasmania in March 2020. A single-item measure was used to assess food insecurity in addition to six demographic and education characteristics and four questions about the availability of food, affordable food, sustainable food and local food on campus. Findings Survey data (n = 1,858) were analysed using bivariate analyses and multivariate binary logistic regression. A total of 38% of respondents (70% female; 80% domestic student; 42% aged 18–24 years) were food insecure. Overall, 41% of students were satisfied with the food available on campus. Nearly, half (47%) of food insecure students were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the availability of affordable food on campus. A minority of students were satisfied with the availability of sustainable food (37%) and local food (33%) on campus. Originality/value These findings demonstrate a high prevalence of food insecurity and deficits in the university food environment, which can inform the development of strategies to improve the food available on campus, including affordable, sustainable and local options.

Disruptive innovation and operationalization in local and sustainable food systems: Examining the University of Toronto-Local Food Plus partnership

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-139
Author(s):  
Lori Stahlbrand
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Disruptive Innovation ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
University Of Toronto ◽  
The University

This paper traces the partnership between the University of Toronto and the non-profit Local Food Plus (LFP) to bring local sustainable food to its St. George campus. At its launch, the partnership represented the largest purchase of local sustainable food at a Canadian university, as well as LFP’s first foray into supporting institutional procurement of local sustainable food. LFP was founded in 2005 with a vision to foster sustainable local food economies. To this end, LFP developed a certification system and a marketing program that matched certified farmers and processors to buyers. LFP emphasized large-scale purchases by public institutions. Using information from in-depth semi-structured key informant interviews, this paper argues that the LFP project was a disruptive innovation that posed a challenge to many dimensions of the established food system. The LFP case study reveals structural obstacles to operationalizing a local and sustainable food system. These include a lack of mid-sized infrastructure serving local farmers, the domination of a rebate system of purchasing controlled by an oligopolistic foodservice sector, and embedded government support of export agriculture. This case study is an example of praxis, as the author was the founder of LFP, as well as an academic researcher and analyst.

scholarly journals Perceptions of the Food Environment and Access among Predominantly Black Low-Income Residents of Rural Louisiana Communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (15) ◽  
pp. 5340
Author(s):  
Denise Holston ◽  
Jessica Stroope ◽  
Matthew Greene ◽  
Bailey Houghtaling
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Food Access ◽  
The United States ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

Food insecurity in rural settings is complex and not fully understood, especially from the perspective of low-income and Black residents. The goal of this study was to use qualitative methods to better understand experiences with food access and perceptions of the food environment among low-income, predominately Black rural Louisiana residents in the United States. Data were collected from focus group discussions (FGD) and focus group intake forms. Study participants were all rural residents eligible to receive at least one nutrition assistance program. FGD questions focused on perceptions of the food environment, with an emphasis on food access. Participants (n = 44) were predominately Black and female. Over half (n = 25) reported running out of food before the end of the month. Major themes included: store choice, outshopping, methods of acquiring foods other than the grocery store, and food insecurity. Concerns around price, quality, and transportation emerged as factors negatively impacting food security. Understanding residents’ perceptions and experiences is necessary to inform contextually appropriate and feasible policy and practice interventions that address the physical environment and social conditions that shape the broader physical food environment in order to achieve equitable food access and food security.

scholarly journals Residents’ Insights on Their Local Food Environment and Dietary Behaviors: A Cross-City Comparison Using Photovoice in Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 10134
Author(s):  
Leyre Gravina ◽  
Amets Jauregi ◽  
Irrintzi Fernández-Aedo ◽  
Julia Díez ◽  
Joel Gittelsohn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Research ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Dietary Behaviors ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Two Cities ◽  
Social Gathering

Perceptions of local food environments and the ability of citizens to engage in participatory research may vary, even if participants share similar cultural and socioeconomic contexts. In this study, we aimed to describe participants’ narratives about their local food environment in two cities in Spain. We used the participatory methodology of Photovoice to engage participants in Madrid (n = 24) and Bilbao (n = 17) who took and discussed photographs about their local food environment (Madrid; n = 163 and Bilbao; n = 70). Common themes emerged across both cities (food insecurity, poverty, use of public spaces for eating and social gathering, cultural diversity and overconsumption of unhealthy foods); however, in Bilbao citizens perceived that there was sufficient availability of healthy foods despite that living in impoverished communities. Photovoice was a useful tool to engage participating citizens to improve their local food environments in both cities. This new approach allowed for a photovoice cross-city comparison that could be useful to fully understand the complexity and diversity of residents’ perceptions regardless of their place of residence.

scholarly journals We Still Have to Eat: Communication Infrastructure and Local Food Organizing as Public Health Responses to COVID-19 in Greensboro, North Carolina

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne LeGreco ◽  
Jasmine Palmer ◽  
Marianna Levithan
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
North Carolina ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Food Access ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Local Food ◽  
The United States ◽  
Communication Infrastructure ◽  
Initial Onset

Food insecurity remains a pervasive and persistent social justice concern, both locally and globally–a concern that was heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This essay focuses on three short case studies around local food organizing, communication, and community in Greensboro, NC. Partners across three separate but related interventions leveraged their community and communication resources through listening sessions, surveys, and stories to ensure that individuals and families could continue to access food during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. By offering these case studies as an example of organizing (and reorganizing) during COVID-19, the analysis also opens up a conversation about power, resistance, and change at the intersections of poverty and access. Scholarly discussions of food insecurity continue to reinforce the need to address both food access and poverty in attempts to build resilient food systems. We take a community-engaged approach that emphasizes the importance of communication infrastructure to illustrate both the simple and mundane resources as well as the creative and innovative interventions that communities and their partners implemented during the initial onset of COVID-19 in the United States.

scholarly journals Architecture and Urban Agriculture: Merging architecture and a local food system in Wellington, New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Thomas Zahner
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Urban Agriculture ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Urban Setting

<p>Urbanisation and agricultural development have for centuries had an interdependent relationship with each other, where the sophistication and systemisation of food production has led to the evolution and advancement of the city (Lim, Food City 5). Current global food systems seem to be exacerbating a disconnection between people and food production while concurrently harming the environment and biodiversity extensively (Kirschenmann 109). Therefore the demand for sufficient food for a growing population carries with it many challenges for environmentally, socially and economically sustainable food production (O’Kane 268). Local food systems are capable of mitigating many of the issues caused by the globalised food system, adapting local food production to suit the health and environmental needs of a community (O’Kane 274). This results in a more active participation in the food system by the community, increased social cohesion, a promotion of satisfying social and cultural interactions around food, a fostering of social responsibility and stewardship of local land, a nurturing of biodiversity, and a strengthening of the community’s economic vitality (O’Kane 271).  This design research investigates the social and environmental benefits of integrating a localised food production system into an urban setting in Wellington, New Zealand, through the cross-programming of urban agriculture with architecture. The research aims to provide social and environmental benefits to a community and place, as well as raise awareness of the importance of a sustainable and accessible food system. This thesis suggests that merging architecture and urban agriculture can positively improve the quality of life of the residents as well as positively benefiting the surrounding environment and biodiversity.</p>

scholarly journals Influence of the Local Food Environment on Hispanics’ Perceptions of Healthy Food Access in New York City

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel C. Co ◽  
Suzanne Bakken
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Food Access ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Healthy Food Access

Introduction: Studies have characterized food environments and documented its impact on access and consumption of healthy foods as well as diet-related health conditions. This study aims to characterize the local food environment in New York City’s Washington Heights and Inwood community and to examine its influence on Hispanics’ perceptions of healthy food access. Methods: Person-level local food environments were created by spatially modeling food retailers selling fresh fruits and vegetables or low-fat products within a participant’s 400- and 800-m residential radius buffers. Data were analyzed using multivariate binary logistic regression. Results: Fruit/vegetable markets significantly increased participants’ odds of perceiving the availability of a large selection as well as the high quality of fresh fruits and vegetables in their neighborhood. Medium-/large-size supermarkets/groceries within 400-m radius significantly increased participants’ odds of perceiving the high quality of fresh fruits and vegetables in their neighborhood, whereas meat markets significantly lowered the odds. Fruit/vegetable markets and medium-/large-size supermarkets/groceries significantly increased participants’ odds of perceiving the availability of a large selection of low-fat products in their neighborhood. Conclusion: Study findings advance our understanding of the relationships between local food environment and perceived healthy food access among urban Hispanics.

scholarly journals Development of the University Food Environment Assessment (Uni-Food) Tool and Process to Benchmark the Healthiness, Equity, and Environmental Sustainability of University Food Environments

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 11895
Author(s):  
Davina Mann ◽  
Janelle Kwon ◽  
Shaan Naughton ◽  
Sinead Boylan ◽  
Jasmine Chan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Advisory Panel ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Environment Assessment ◽  
The University

Globally, there is increasing interest in monitoring actions to create healthy, equitable and environmentally sustainable food environments. Currently, there is a lack of detailed tools for monitoring and benchmarking university food environments. This study aimed to develop the University Food Environment Assessment (Uni-Food) tool and process to benchmark the healthiness, equity, and environmental sustainability of food environments in tertiary education settings, and pilot test its implementation in three Australian universities in 2021. The Uni-Food tool development was informed by a review of the literature and input from an expert advisory panel. It comprises three components: 1) university systems and governance, 2) campus facilities and environments, and 3) food retail outlets. The process for implementing the tool is designed for universities to self-assess the extent to which they have implemented recommended practice in 68 indicators, across 16 domains, weighted based on their relative importance. The pilot implementation of the tool identified moderate diversity in food environments across universities and highlighted several opportunities for improvements at each institution. The assessment process was found to be reliable, with assessors rating the tool as easy to use, requiring minimal resources. Broad application of the tool has the potential to increase accountability and guide best practice in tertiary education and other complex institutional settings.

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