Document Type
Article
Abstract
Food insecurity is a growing issue on college campuses across the United States. Specifically, as student demographics shift away from full-time college students to part-time students with less disposable income, there are rising concerns about the nutrition, quality, and access to food on campus. Our research group was tasked with assessing, analyzing, and evaluating the food security and food systems of the Johnson & Wales University’s Harborside Campus. To this extent, we developed an anonymous questionnaire to poll students on their food sources and the quality of those food sources. To start, the questionnaire gathered basic demographic data such as dorm room, school year, and access to a car. We gave students the choice to rank their experience on a scale of 1–5 in a multitude of areas, primarily: perception of food quality, food choice, cultural diversity, and perception of food price, with a question that prompted open feedback. From this survey, we then divided up the data based on the different demographics to discover the trends in the local food system. Our data demonstrated a clear correlation between access to a kitchen and increased food security, with a 19.8% increase in food security perception in comparison to students without access to a kitchen. Other significant data revealed that students relying on campus dining often felt as if they are spending more money than students with a kitchen. In addition, they pointed out a lack of nutrition, quality, and preference amongst the foods provided. Data collected showed that 39.8% of students perceived that they are missing meals due to price, along with 80% who perceive that they are missing meals due to campus dining schedules. From these results, we generated three primary recommendations for the University: increase the selection of Liberty Market to include more produce and protein options; create communal kitchens for all students on campus; and encourage the movement and promotion of auxiliary services such as Wildcat Food Rescue to increase traction.
Repository Citation
LaBelle, Matthew; Sobh, Alissar; and Neusner, Rebecca D., "Food Insecurity Amongst College Students: A Survey-Based Study On Student Perceptions and Assessment of Food Security and Food Sovereignty On Campus" (2024). Directed Experiential Education Final Project. 3.
https://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/dee_finalproject/3