scholarly journals Why Are Hungry College Students Not Seeking Help? Predictors of and Barriers to Using an On-Campus Food Pantry

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aseel El Zein ◽  
Anne Mathews ◽  
Lisa House ◽  
Karla Shelnutt
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
The United States ◽  
Student Loan ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
The Impact

Background: The number of food pantries on U.S. college campuses has increased in response to students’ food insecurity, but limited information is available to describe the impact of this resource. The objective of this cross-sectional investigation was to examine the relationship between food insecurity and food pantry awareness, use, and perceived barriers to use. Methods: Students attending the University of Florida in fall 2017 (n = 899) completed the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Adult Food Security Survey and responded to questions about food pantry awareness and use. Sociodemographic data were also collected and included in multivariate logistic regression models. Results: While most students (70%) were aware of the existing food pantry, nearly a third of respondents were classified as being food insecure. After adjusting for sociodemographic correlates, factors such as identifying as being food insecure, international status, and receiving a student loan or a need-based federal financial aid (Pell grant) increased the likelihood of utilizing the campus food pantry. Despite these predictors, only 38% of food insecure students reported food pantry use. Among students who provided qualitative insights, four main barriers to using the on-campus food pantry were identified: social stigma, insufficient information on pantry use policies, self-identity, and inconvenient hours. Conclusions: Food security interventions and administrative policy should consider a new model of the traditional campus food pantry that reduces concerns of social stigma and is supported by clear and ongoing communications of operational procedures tailored for the college student population.

scholarly journals Food security of food recipients of a food pantry and soup kitchen

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 1451-1460
Author(s):  
Tamara Y Mousa ◽  
Jeanne H Freeland-Graves
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Healthy Eating Index ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Soup Kitchen ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjectiveTo discern the impact of food donations provided by a food pantry and soup kitchen on food security.DesignIn this cross-sectional study, participants completed a demographic questionnaire, core food security module, FFQ and list of food donations. The FFQ was utilized to assess diet quality as estimated via the 2010 Healthy Eating Index.SettingClients were selected randomly from a food pantry and soup kitchen in Central Texas, USA.ParticipantsA total of 222 adults.ResultsApproximately 73 % of participants lacked food security. Compared with the food secure, the food insecure consisted of 61 % men, 42 % Caucasians, 56 % single and 67 % homeless. Also, of the food insecure, 60 % were soup kitchen clients and 64 % had an annual income <$US 1000 (P<0·01). The probability of food insecurity was reduced by ≥1·17-fold when the total dietary intake included the food donations, as these were rich in fruits, total vegetables and grains, dairy and protein foods (P<0·05).ConclusionsFood insecurity was quite prevalent in this sample of individuals who visited food pantries and soup kitchens. The addition of food donations improved the quality of the participants’ total diet and had a positive influence on food security. Thus, community organizations should financially support these food assistance agencies and strive to offer a variety of healthy and tasty foods in adequate quantities to provide optimum diet quality.

scholarly journals High food insecurity in Latinx families and associated COVID-19 infection in the Greater Bay Area, California

BMC Nutrition ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Milagro Escobar ◽  
Andrea DeCastro Mendez ◽  
Maria Romero Encinas ◽  
Sofia Villagomez ◽  
Janet M. Wojcicki
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Employment Status ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Bay Area ◽  
Household Food ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Food insecurity impacts nearly one-in-four Latinx households in the United States and has been exacerbated by the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We examined the impact of COVID-19 on household and child food security in three preexisting, longitudinal, Latinx urban cohorts in the San Francisco Bay Area (N = 375 households, 1875 individuals). Households were initially recruited during pregnancy and postpartum at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) and UCSF Benioff prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. For this COVID-19 sub-study, participants responded to a 15-min telephonic interview. Participants answered 18 questions from the US Food Security Food Module (US HFSSM) and questions on types of food consumption, housing and employment status, and history of COVID-19 infection as per community or hospital-based testing. Food security and insecurity levels were compared with prior year metrics. Results We found low levels of household food security in Latinx families (by cohort: 29.2%; 34.2%; 60.0%) and child food security (56.9%, 54.1%, 78.0%) with differences between cohorts explained by self-reported levels of education and employment status. Food security levels were much lower than those reported previously in two cohorts where data had been recorded from prior years. Reported history of COVID-19 infection in households was 4.8% (95% Confidence Interval (CI); 1.5–14.3%); 7.2% (95%CI, 3.6–13.9%) and 3.5% (95%CI, 1.7–7.2%) by cohort and was associated with food insecurity in the two larger cohorts (p = 0.03; p = 0.01 respectively). Conclusions Latinx families in the Bay Area with children are experiencing a sharp rise in food insecurity levels during the COVID-19 epidemic. Food insecurity, similar to other indices of poverty, is associated with increased risk for COVID-19 infection. Comprehensive interventions are needed to address food insecurity in Latinx populations and further studies are needed to better assess independent associations between household food insecurity, poor nutritional health and risk of COVID-19 infection.

scholarly journals Measuring household food security: the global experience

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (suppl) ◽  
pp. 27s-37s ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Melgar-Quinonez ◽  
Michelle Hackett
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Governmental Agencies ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
New Research

Measuring household food insecurity represents a challenge due to the complexity and wide array of factors associated with this phenomenon. For over one decade, researchers and agencies throughout the world have been using and assessing the validity of variations of the United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Supplemental Module. Thanks to numerous studies of diverse design, size, and purpose, the Household Food Security Supplemental Module has shown its suitability to directly evaluate the perceptions of individuals on their food security status. In addition, challenges and limitations are becoming clearer and new research questions are emerging as the process advances. The purpose of this article is to describe the development, validation procedures, and use of the Household Food Security Supplemental Module in very diverse settings. The most common Household Food Security Supplemental Module related studies have been conducted using criterion validity, Rasch modeling and Cronbach-Alpha Coefficient. It is critical that researchers, policy makers, governmental and non-governmental agencies intensify their efforts to further develop tools that provide valid and reliable measures of food security in diverse population groups. Additional work is needed to synthesize a universally applicable tool able to capture the global human phenomenon of food insecurity.

scholarly journals Exploring the Impact of Crises on Food Security in Lebanon: Results from a National Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8753
Author(s):  
Maha Hoteit ◽  
Youssef Al-Atat ◽  
Hussein Joumaa ◽  
Suheir El Ghali ◽  
Rania Mansour ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The People ◽  
Food Consumption Score ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

This study aims to explore the prevalence and correlates of food insecurity among Lebanese households since the ordeals of COVID-19, economic crisis, and Beirut port explosions. At the core of the study, a mobile application entitled Nutrition Assessment System (NAS) that simplified the data collection was used as toolkit and a technical test was carried out in all Lebanese governorates between November 2020 and March 2021. Findings show that food insecurity is an immediate problem for households in Beirut and in many governorates in Lebanon. Nine in every 16 households ate less than 2 meals per day and more than 70% of them skipped their meals to spare food. Even though half the population studied had a low food consumption score, 82.4% of the people were not relying on livelihood coping strategies. However, more than three out of ten of these households relied on at least three food-based coping strategies. In addition, as for the livelihoods, this assessment found that most Lebanese households reported a drop in income along with an expansion in debt incurrence in the last 24 months to be able to buy food. Improving food security in Lebanon requires effort not only on the part of the government, but through regional and international actions.

Comparing Trends Between Food Insecurity and Cigarette Smoking Among Adults in the United States, 1998 to 2011

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 413-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew C. Farrelly ◽  
Paul R. Shafer
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Population Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
Current Smoker ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Current Smoking

Purpose: Previous studies have shown that cigarette smoking is associated with higher rates and severity of food insecurity but do not address how population-level smoking rates change in response to changes in food security. Design: Trend analysis of serial cross-sectional data. Setting: Data from a representative survey of US households. Participants: Adults within households participating in both the Food Security Supplement and Tobacco Use Supplement of the Current Population Survey during 5 overlapping administrations from 1998 to 2011. Measures: A “current smoker” is defined as someone who indicated that they currently smoke on “some days” or “every day.” A household’s food security is coded as “secure” or “insecure,” according to responses to a food security scale, interpreted using a US Department of Agriculture standard. Analysis: Descriptive comparison of the roughly triennial trends in the prevalence of food insecurity and current smoking from 1998 to 2011. Results: The prevalence of food insecurity increased by 30% among adults overall versus 54% among current smokers, with most of the changes occurring following the economic recession of 2008 and 2009. Over this same period, the prevalence of current smoking declined by 33% among food-secure adults and only 14% among food-insecure adults. Conclusion: Food insecurity increased more markedly among adult smokers than nonsmokers, and the prevalence of smoking declined more slowly in food-insecure households, indicating that more low-income smokers are facing hunger, which may at least partly be due to buying cigarettes.

scholarly journals Relationship between Dietary Habits, Food Attitudes and Food Security Status among Adults Living within the United States Three Months Post-Mandated Quarantine: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3468
Author(s):  
Aljazi Bin Zarah ◽  
Juliana Enriquez-Marulanda ◽  
Jeanette Mary Andrade
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Food Attitudes ◽  
The Impact

COVID-19 has disrupted the lives of many and may have influenced dietary habits through factors such as food security status and attitudes. The purpose of this study was to identify dietary habits and their associations with food insecurity and attitudes among adults living in the United States within three months post-mandated quarantine. An online cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2020. Participants (n = 3133) responded to a 71-item questionnaire regarding demographics (n = 7), health information (n = 5), lifestyle habits (n = 8), dietary habits (n = 37), food attitudes (n = 8), and food security status (n = 6). Frequency counts and percentages were tabulated, and multivariate linear regression was conducted to examine associations using STATA v14 at a statistical significance level of p < 0.05. Results showed that most participants indicated no change in dietary habits (43.6–87.4%), yet participants reported increased consumption of sweets (43.8%) and salty snacks (37.4%). A significant positive association for food attitude scores (1.59, 95% CI 1.48 to 1.70; p < 0.001) and food security scores (1.19, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.45; p < 0.001) on total dietary habit scores was found. Future extensive population studies are recommended to help public health authorities frame actions to alleviate the impact that mandated quarantine has on dietary habits.

scholarly journals Food insecurity among households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from a study among social media users across the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Niyati Parekh ◽  
Shahmir H. Ali ◽  
Joyce O’Connor ◽  
Yesim Tozan ◽  
Abbey M. Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Households With Children

Abstract Background In the United States, approximately 11% of households were food insecure prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aims to describe the prevalence of food insecurity among adults and households with children living in the United States during the pandemic. Methods This study utilized social media as a recruitment platform to administer an original online survey on demographics and COVID-related food insecurity. The survey was disseminated through an advertisement campaign on Facebook and affiliated platforms. Food insecurity was assessed with a validated six-item United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Household Food Security Survey Module, which was used to create a six-point numerical food security score, where a higher score indicates lower food security. Individual-level participant demographic information was also collected. Logistic regressions (low/very-low compared with high/marginal food security) were performed to generate adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95%CIs for food insecurity and select demographic characteristics. Results Advertisements reached 250,701 individuals and resulted in 5,606 complete surveys. Overall, 14.7% of participants self-identified as having low or very low food security in their households, with higher prevalence (17.5%) among households with children. Unemployment (AOR:1.76, 95%CI:1.09–2.80), high school or lower education (AOR:2.25, 95%CI:1.29–3.90), and low income (AOR[$30,000-$50,000]:5.87, 95%CI:3.35–10.37; AOR[< $30,000]:10.61, 95%CI:5.50–20.80) were associated with higher odds of food insecurity in multivariable models among households with children (and the whole sample). Conclusions These data indicate exacerbation of food insecurity during the pandemic. The study will be instrumental in guiding additional research and time-sensitive interventions targeted towards vulnerable food insecure subgroups.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity among Senior Citizens in High Out-migration Areas: Evidence from Western Nepal

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devendra Raj Singh ◽  
Saruna Ghimire ◽  
Eva M Jeffers ◽  
Sunita Singh ◽  
Dhirendra Nath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Senior Citizens ◽  
Senior Citizen ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Lower Odds ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status

Abstract Background: Food insecurity is a critical public health challenge, in particular in low and middle-income countries. Nepal, a low-income country, is undergoing rapid demographic and epidemiological transitions with a growing population of senior citizens. However, the determinants of food security status among Nepali senior citizens are still unknown. This study aims to fill this gap focusing on the elderly populations in the far-western region, one of the poorest regions of the country. The study also aims to assess the potential impact of adult child migration on the food security status of the left behind elderly parents. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 260 randomly selected senior citizens in the Kanchanpur district in far-western Nepal. The short form of the household food security scale, originally developed by the United States Department of Agriculture, was used to measure household food security. Associations were examined by means of logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of food insecurity, in senior citizens’ households, was 41.1%. Senior citizen households with their adult children’s migration (AOR= 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24- 0.98) had lower odds of being food insecure and households with lower family income (<$100 compared to ≥ $100) (AOR= 2.24, 95% CI: 1.08 - 4.65) had two times higher odds of being food insecure. Also, households owning a cultivable land/farm (AOR= 0.14, 95% CI: 0.05-0.37) and involved in agriculture (AOR= 0.29, 95% CI: 0.09-0.99) or business (AOR= 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.74) had lower odds of being food insecure. Conclusion: The prevalence of food insecurity among households with senior citizen in Kanchanpur district was high and associated with migration status of adult children, household income and ethnicity. This calls for a greater policy response focused specifically on the households with elderly citizens and integration of gerontological evidence into the existing food security and nutrition strategies.

A pilot examination of the inter-rater reliability of the 18-item Household Food Security Module between cohabiting mothers and fathers

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1306-1311
Author(s):  
Jaime S Foster ◽  
Kari Adamsons ◽  
Marlene B Schwartz ◽  
Emily A Taylor ◽  
Amy R Mobley
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Rater Reliability ◽  
Mothers And Fathers ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Intraclass Correlations ◽  
Item Level

Abstract Food insecurity, defined as the inability to access sufficient food for an active, healthy life, affects 11.1% of the US population and is primarily assessed using the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM). The HFSSM is a self-report measure presumed to represent all household members, but it is unknown if cohabiting parents report food security differently. This pilot study aimed to determine (i) the inter-rater reliability of the HFSSM; (ii) the direction of any difference between responses to the HFSSM; and (iii) the item-level response similarities and differences among mothers and fathers of young children. Twenty-five pairs of low-income, food-insecure cohabiting parents of 2.5- to 10-year-old children participated in cognitive interviews assessing their level of food security using the USDA’s HFSSM and completed related questionnaires. Intraclass correlations were computed to compare the responses of each dyad on the HFSSM overall and by item. Results revealed that overall report of food security was significantly but weakly correlated (r = .40, p = .02) within dyads. The majority of fathers (60%) reported higher food security scores on the HFSSM than their respective female partners. Furthermore, item-level intraclass correlations revealed that some HFSSM questions had poor reliability between cohabiting parents. This research identifies that a potential shortcoming of the HFSSM is the under-reporting of food insecurity by fathers compared with mothers within the household. These findings have implications for the utility of this measure used in national monitoring of the nation’s food security.

Do food skills protect from food insecurity? A study among asylum seekers living in Norway

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Terragni ◽  
C Arnold ◽  
S Henjum
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Canadian Community Health Survey ◽  
Dietary Quality ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Cooking Skills ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Food insecurity has a high prevalence among asylum seekers living in Western countries. Previous studies suggest that food skills can protect against food insecurity. This study investigates the impact of food skills on food security and dietary diversity among refugees living in Norwegian reception centers. Methods The study has a cross-sectional research design. Eight asylum reception centers where selected and 205 asylum seekers (131 men and 74 women) were recruited through convenience sampling among the largest asylum seeking groups. We measured food skills by adopting questions from the Canadian Community Health Survey 2013 Rapid Response on Food Skills. Food skills were divided into cooking skills (ability to prepare meals) and shopping skills (ability to plan meals and budgeting). Food security was measured with the 10-item version of the Radimer/Cornell Hunger and Food Insecurity Scale. Dietary data was collected via a 24-hour recall, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) dietary diversity score was calculated to assess dietary quality. Data were analyzed with bivariate logistic analysis. Results Cooking skills and shopping skills contribute differently to food security and dietary diversity. Higher cooking skills were associated with higher dietary diversity but not with food security. Shopping skills were not associated with either food security or dietary diversity. Women had better cooking skills then men, but there were no gender differences in shopping skills. Married asylum seekers had better shopping skills than those who were not married. Conclusions Cooking skills have an impact on dietary diversity, initiatives promoting cooking skills should be encouraged. Further research is needed on what kind of purchasing skills can be useful for asylum seekers coping. Despite high food skills the level of food insecurity remained high. Initiatives addressing the multiple causes of food insecurity are needed. Key messages Food skills alone do not protect from food insecurity. Cooking skills are easier to transfer in a new food environment than shopping skills.

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