Study highlights prevalence of food insecurity on college campuses

Donna Winham, associate professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, recently coauthored a study on the prevalence of food insecurity on college campuses. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Nutrients, the study was conducted in collaboration with Abigail Glick, research associate in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, and Mack Shelley, Iowa State professor of Political Science and Statistics.

Winham’s findings revealed that over 36% of students at Iowa State are considered food insecure, with higher rates among African American and Hispanic students.

Food insecurity among college students can stem from a number of factors, including high food cost, limited transportation, and high tuition and living expenses. Many students also face challenges balancing class workloads with employment and may lack skills in shopping and meal preparation.

“Iowa State should incorporate more funding towards our campus food pantry S.H.O.P. to help mitigate food cost, as well as reliable transportation to and from food outlets,” Winham said. “Our findings support increased need for reaching out to all students, but especially underserved populations, about resources available for nutrition support on campus. Many food-insecure students were unaware of the resources available and did not use them.”

This research project highlighted multicultural and international students—groups that have been previously underrepresented in food insecurity research—to better understand the unique barriers each subgroup of students faces. Winham found that these students may struggle with access to foods that meet their dietary, religious, or cultural needs.

“It is critical for food outlets, such as restaurants, grocery stores, and even our food pantry S.H.O.P. to provide options that reflect wide range of needs in our student population,” Winham said. “Simply providing ‘something to eat’ is not an adequate solution to meeting sociocultural needs and dignity of student life.”

Winham added that additional research is needed to track shifts in food insecurity among individuals over time, to see how it may change throughout the academic year.

By calling attention to this widespread issue, Winham is highlighting the need for college campuses to better support students experiencing food insecurity and pinpointing several clear actions they can take to make a difference.