Food Insecurity for many is just a missed paycheck away. Undergrads are encountering the lack of reliable access to affordable, nutritious food across the country, interfering with the health and educational success of many students. Educational cost is rising, and Financial aid is not rising with it, this is leaving undergrads and their families in some tight situations. Often having to choose between purchasing course material or paying for food.
When we think of college students, we don’t think of them being food insecure we think of people young and old working on trying to better their lives. But, in 2017 CareerBuilder found that 78% of U.S workers are living paycheck to paycheck. These may even be some of our classmates who are working jobs and attending school every day. Attending college can become a huge expense to most and unfortunately will let things fall off to the side just to continue their education, like being able to buy food.
According to the U.S department of Agriculture (USDA), food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. The USDA breaks food insecurity down into four categories high food security, marginal food security, low food security and very low food security. The high and marginal food security make up the group of people that are food secure and have reported either little to no signs of food limitations or little to no signs of changes into food intake. While people with Low food security have reported either a reduce in their quality, variety, or desirability of diet. And very low food security reported multiple signs of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.
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Food insecurity is not a problem that exist alone, often someone facing food insecurity also have a variation of issue that overlap. These issues can range from financial issues, to mental, physical and social health issues. Many students struggle to continue their education and earn their certificate or degree because of their need for additional support just to continue their studies.
When you are hungry your body produces stress signals that let your body know it is time to eat. When your body is left in this stress state it can have an impact on a person’s mind, when the mind is affected in this state for long periods of time or even daily, we will start to see mental health effects. According to Science Daily, “one in three individuals globally experience a common mental disorder during their lifetime, such as depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms disorders.” Food insecurity is attached to these disorders and a person’s vulnerability to getting them.
Not only is it effecting their body mentally, but it can drain you physically as well. According to the Public Health Reports, on Food insecurity a Public Health issue “people experiencing food insecurity often consume a nutrient-poor diet, which may contribute to the development of obesity, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.” Often people in food-insecure situations can’t always make healthier food choices and as a college student it can be worse you may have to eat on the run and so choices are often going to be inexpensive, high-calorie foods, instead of foods that are healthier.
Not only does food insecurity cause college students mental, and physically health problems but it can cause social problems as well. Many students struggle with seeking help or taking advantage of programs because they are fearful of being identified as having less or that someone will ridicule them. Not having enough to eat can influence a student’s academics. Studying and spending time in a classroom is hard enough without being hungry to. Their ability to do well in school tends to suffer, studies have shown that those stressed about being food insecure while trying to maintain their schoolwork, have a hard time keeping up with their grades, their test scores are lower and chances of graduating tend to be slimmer than those who do not have these problems.
To try and fight some of these issues’ college students are facing with food insecurity, many colleges have began offering programs to help. There are many different programs out there now depending on your county and state that you are living in. Some have college meal assistance programs where they allow students to donate unused portion of their meal plan to other students in need. There are events that campuses often have and at some of these events they will offer free food to those who show up. There is community support for college students as well. Things like the local food pantries, SNAP benefits program, community assistance organizations, and school Food banks have also made there way to some schools.
Napa Valley college is one of the many schools that offers a food bank right on campuses for the convenience of the students facing food insecurity but may not know any other resources or do not have the means to make it to any other resource. According to the Napa register, the Napa Valley college food bank opened on May 9th, 2017 in building 1200 where students can get two weeks of food and shop confidentially.
