Food insecurity has been on the rise in the province of Québec and elsewhere in the world in recent years (Observatoire québécois des inégalités, 2022), particularly among the student population.

A recent University of California survey of undergraduate students (Mowreader, 2023c) has revealed that:

  • 42% cannot afford balanced meals;
  • 24% report “very low food security”;
  • 33% say they don’t get enough to eat at mealtimes (ibid.).

The same is true on the other side of the Atlantic: in Belgium, 40% of students surveyed as part of a research on their living conditions are experiencing financial problems, to the point where the most affected cannot afford a full meal every other day (Sonecom, 2019).

A Problem with Access

Food insecurity refers to inadequate or uncertain access to food due to a lack of financial resources (INSPQ, 2018). The term “access” refers to a dual dimension, economic and physical (CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, n.d.):

  • Economic, that is access to healthy foods (fruits and vegetables, meats and substitutes, etc.) at a “reasonable” cost, i.e., accessible to the student population;
  • Physical, that is access to food markets, especially near higher education institutions.

It is generally accepted that a student will experience food insecurity because they don’t have the financial resources to afford nutritious food. On the other hand, it is not as well known that living far from affordable food distribution locations may be one of the factors causing this phenomenon (INSPQ, 2013). Indeed, large surface supermarkets — where food is cheaper — are often located in areas not easily accessible by foot, bike or public transport, the main means of urban mobility for the student population.

Food insecurity is also linked to many markers of socio-economic inequality: it is, for example, associated with tenants rather than property owners (Polsky & Gilmour, 2020; Tarasuk & Mitchell, 2020). Bear in mind that the vast majority of students are tenants.

Conditions and Skills

In addition to requiring the financial means to pay for expenses related to healthy eating, students must be able to benefit from conditions and skills that enable them to eat properly (CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, n.d.). For example:

  • Suitable facilities for cooking meals;
  • Sufficient knowledge to make informed choices about healthy and nutritious foods available;
  • Skills for preparing, cooking and preserving food (Laban & al., 2020). 
An empty plate is at the center of the figure, with a fork and knife on either side. Four arrows point from the plate to the four corners of the figure. In each corner is an icon with a statement. In the top left-hand corner is an icon representing an oven and a kitchen counter with Suitable cooking facilities written underneath. In the top right-hand corner is an icon representing a public market with Economic and physical access to healthy food written underneath. In the bottom left-hand corner is an icon representing a bowl into which is poured the contents of a measuring cup with Sufficient culinary skills written underneath. In the bottom right-hand corner is an icon representing a chef's hat in the shape of a recipe book with Sufficient knowledge of healthy eating written underneath.

Other factors can also cause and perpetuate food insecurity. For instance, issues that affect income such as addiction (alcohol, drugs, compulsive gambling) and mental health problems (INSPQ, 2018).

Finally, food insecurity can arise from a particular situation where income is reduced: separation, illness, disability, job loss, the birth of a child, caring for a parent or moving to another home can all have an impact on a student’s financial situation. Any unforeseen expenses (dental care, rent increase, appliances to be replaced, etc.) can also lead to a reduction in food expenses. 

Impact on Success

A student experiencing food insecurity is not only more likely to suffer from physical health problems, but also from mental health problems such as anxiety, psychological distress or major depression (Pourmotabbed & al., 2020).

On the academic front, a student experiencing food insecurity may lack the focus and energy to carry out sustained tasks over a long period, which may have an impact on their academic performance (CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, n.d.). Indeed, in a situation of food insecurity, the risk of failing exams increases: the person’s primary occupation is no longer studying, but seeking ways to meet their vital needs (Disch, 2023).

Students experiencing food insecurity are also at risk of developing low self-esteem, and suffering from isolation and social exclusion (CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, n.d.).

This decline in self-esteem can be amplified by the stigma attached to persistent prejudices about food insecurity.

Beyond Stereotypes

Food is often relegated to the background in research on student financial insecurity (Sonecom, 2019). Indeed, the stereotype of a student who voluntarily eats an unbalanced diet is strongly entrenched (Disch, 2023). Eating poorly would be a normal stage in the life of a student, often in transition to adulthood.

The image of a young student helped by their parents continues to be widely shared, as does that of the “starving student” who normalizes a diet with little variety while studying (Maynard & al., 2018).

This stereotype contributes to the invisibility of a darker and growing reality: student food insecurity. This type of prejudice can also make students feel stigmatized (Université Laval, n.d.) and reluctant to seek help from resources available to the general population, such as food banks. Indeed, the higher education student population — rarely taken into account in various public health surveys on food insecurity — may feel privileged to be studying compared to other population groups (welfare recipients, single-parent families, etc.) and think that these resources are not intended for them.

One of the courses of action to reduce prejudice and avoid stigmatization is to make the entire college and university community aware of the existence of food insecurity in the student population, its harmful effects on studies and success, and the resources available to remedy it (Savoie-Roskos & al., 2023).

References

CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale. (s. d.). Pourquoi est-ce important de viser la sécurité alimentaire ? https://www.ciusss-capitalenationale.gouv.qc.ca/sante-publique/inegalites-sociales-sante/vivre-sans-faim/informer/pourquoi 

Disch, C. (2023). Précarité étudiante : le malêtre dans l’assiette. La Revue Nouvelle, 3(3), 9‑13. https://doi.org/10.3917/rn.231.0009 

INSPQ. (2013). Accessibilité géographique aux commerces alimentaires au Québec : analyse de situation et perspectives d’interventions. Institut national de la santé publique du Québec (INSPQ). https://www.inspq.qc.ca/es/node/3932

INSPQ. (2018). Les inégalités sociales de santé au Québec – L’insécurité alimentaire. https://www.inspq.qc.ca/santescope/suivre-les-inegalites-sociales-de-sante-au-quebec/insecurite-alimentaire 

Laban, S., Jackson, E., Maynard, M. & Loring, P. (2020, 12 juin). Insécurité alimentaire chez les étudiants : un problème avant, pendant et après la pandémie. Affaires universitaires. https://www.affairesuniversitaires.ca/opinion/a-mon-avis/insecurite-alimentaire-chez-les-etudiants-un-probleme-avant-pendant-et-apres-la-pandemie/ 

Maynard, M. S., Meyer, S. B., Perlman, C. M. & Kirkpatrick, S. I. (2018). Experiences of Food Insecurity Among Undergraduate Students: “You Can’t Starve Yourself Through School”. Canadian Journal of Higher Education / Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur, 48(2), 130‑148. https://doi.org/10.7202/1057107ar 

Mowreader, A. (2023, 3 mai). Free food truck on campus feeds 500 students a day. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/health-wellness/2023/05/03/free-food-truck-campus-feeds-500-students-day 

Observatoire québécois des inégalités. (2022). La faim justifie des moyens. Observatoire québécois des inégalités. https://www.observatoiredesinegalites.com/fr/detail-publication/la-faim-justifie-des-moyens 

Polsky, J. Y. & Gilmour, H. (2020). Insécurité alimentaire et santé mentale durant la pandémie de COVID-19 (no 82‑003‑X). Statistique Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2020012/article/00001-fra.htm 

Pourmotabbed, A., Moradi, S., Babaei, A., Ghavami, A., Mohammadi, H., Jalili, C., Symonds, M. E. & Miraghajani, M. (2020). Food insecurity and mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Public Health Nutrition, 23(10), 1778‑1790. https://doi.org/10.1017/S136898001900435X 

Savoie-Roskos, M. R., Hood, L. B., Hagedorn-Hatfield, R. L., Landry, M. J., Patton-López, M. M., Richards, R., Vogelzang, J. L., Qamar, Z., OoNorasak, K. & Mann, G. (2023). Creating a culture that supports food security and health equity at higher education institutions. Public Health Nutrition, 26(3), 503‑509. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980022002294 

Sonecom. (2019). Étude sur les conditions de vie des étudiants de l’enseignement supérieur de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. https://rodriguedemeuse.be/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Conditions-de-vie-%C3%A9tudiante-%C3%A9tude-Marcourt-20190418.pdf 

Tarasuk, V. & Mitchell, A. (2020). Insécurité alimentaire des ménages au Canada, 2017-18. Food Insecurity Policy Research (PROOF). https://proof.utoronto.ca/resource/household-food-insecurity-in-canada-2017-2018/ 

Université Laval. (s. d.). Démystifier l’insécurité alimentaire. Chantiers d’avenir de l’Université Laval. https://www.ulaval.ca/etudes/chantiers-davenir/securite-alimentaire/demystifier-linsecurite-alimentaire