THE
BASICS: What is food insecurity?
Food insecurity is a term
describing a situation where an individual does not have consistent access to
healthy and nutritious food. This may result in the tendency to skip meals,
reduce food portions, or go without any food the entire day. According to the
USDA there are four categories of food security, very low food security, low
food security, marginal food security and high food security1.
Those who are considered “very low food security” often make adjustments
in their daily meals with foods that are more affordable such as fast food
restaurants or they skip a meal altogether. Those who are “low food secure” are
those who reduce the portions sizes of meals they consume because they are
suffering from financial hardships. Individuals that fit into the
“marginal/high food secure” categories tend to be food secure and rarely face
difficulty having access to nutritious food but tend to not buy highly nutritious
food because of its cost2.
THE
ISSUE: Food Insecurity at Fresno State
Food insecurity is extremely
prevalent in Fresno, especially on the Fresno State Campus. In a survey that
was conducted in spring of 2013, it was found that 31% of Fresno State Students
were experiencing food insecurity2. So, roughly 1 in 3 Fresno State
students struggle meeting their nutritional needs; meaning that Fresno State
students are twice as likely to experience food insecurity than the average American
3. This issue was found to be something that could affect all races,
as there was no significant difference in food insecurity between ethnic
groups. Students who were living on their own and who had their own source of
income, or who had credit card debt were found to be more at risk for food
insecurity2.
While this issue is
widespread across campus, it is not something that is frequently discussed due
to the stigma. Students who are food insecure are often too embarrassed or
ashamed to seek help or alert others to their struggle. In an informal study
that was conducted, 63% of students expressed that they were not aware of the
issue of food insecurity on campus. This may be something that goes relatively
unnoticed by the general public, but the effects of food insecurity can be
detrimental to the student.
THE
EXPERIENCE: A student’s voice
“When
someone hears my stomach growl and tells me to go get something to eat, I don’t
know how to tell them that I only have $25 in my bank account and I can't buy
food right now. When I have to pay for gas, PGE, and rent I put off paying for
food. Hunger causes me to have a lack of sleep, it is hard to pay attention in
school, I am anti-social, and I am lacking the nutrients I need as a cancer
survivor to remain healthy. You really have to learn to budget yourself and
limit yourself because it isn't easy but you just have to do what you can.” -
Fresno State Student
THE
EFFECTS: How hunger can impact college performance
- Reduced brain function from lack of iron4
- Increased absenteeism from a lack of ability to fight illness5
- Inability to concentrate
- Impaired decision-making skills
- Depression and social withdrawal
Children
from food insecure households are more likely to be held back a grade or be in
remedial classes compared to food secure children. 3 While this
hasn’t been fully researched fully in college populations, we imagine the same
to hold true.
THE
SOLUTION: Food Recovery
49 million Americans experience food insecurity3,
yet 36 million tons of food are wasted annually.6 This obvious
disparity lead to the birth of The Food Recovery Network when in 2011
University of Maryland students noticed that huge amounts of leftover food was
being thrown away that could be recovered to combat food insecurity. The
students organized and mobilized to volunteer recovering leftover food from Dining
Services to eventually be recovering 150 - 200 pounds of food a day. According
to the Food Recovery Network, 75% of college campuses do not have a food recovery
program in place, adding up to 22 million meals that could be recovered and
given to those in need. Fresno State does not want to be one of those schools
wasting food any longer.
Sociology students at Fresno State
have begun their own chapter of the Food Recovery Network to assist in
promoting food security on campus and in the neighboring community.
Collaborators include Dr. Janie Nkosi and her food recovery volunteers,
University Dining Services, Auxiliary Services, ASI, and various Sociology
Classes. Beginning in December 2013 student volunteers will begin to recover
food and take it to nearby community benefit organizations for distribution.
THE
CALL TO ACTION: How you can help
The biggest ways that you can help are to spread awareness of the lack of food
security at Fresno State and to give support to the Food Recovery Network. Talk
to friends, family, professors, administrators, community members, and
businesses; everyone you know! We want to spread the word about the prevalence
of food insecurity and to spread the notion that people should not be
embarrassed to get the help they need. Services are there to help with no shame
required. One such service could be the Food Recovery Network with help of
people like you supporting it. To learn more about food recovery visit
foodrecoverynetwork.org and to get involved with the network at Fresno State,
contact frnfresnostate@gmail.com.
References: 1. Definitions of Food Security. USDA Economic Research Service http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/definitions-of-food-security.aspx#.Uo2f-Y2ILcE, 2006 2. Espinoza, Alida (2013) Assessing Differences in Food Security Status Among College Students Enrolled at a Public California State University Campus 3. Hunger Facts. Feeding America http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts.aspx#
4.An Examination of the Relationship between Nutrition and Learning. Doris L. Pertz and Lillian R. Putnam The Reading Teacher , Vol. 35, No. 6 (Mar., 1982), pp. 702-706
5.Hunger Facts and Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved Oct 22, 2013, from Community Food Bank: http://communityfoodbank.net/WhoWeHelp/C_V_Residents.aspx
6. Kleinman, Murphy, Little, Pagano, Wehler, Regal, and Jellinek (1998) Hunger in children in the United States: Potential behavioral and emotional correlates. Pediatrics, 101 (1), e3
