The Psychosocial Effects of Food Insecurity

“Food is a very social thing. That’s how people connect. When you go out to a restaurant, that’s how you maintain your friendships and stay connected with people. To not be able to do that, I felt very left out and it was depressing. It was always embarrassing to be like, ‘no, I can’t afford it.' People would offer to pay, but me being the way I am, I’m like ‘no, it’s okay.' It was embarrassing because I’ve never been in [that situation] because I [like to] contribute but I couldn‘t. I felt bad about it. I didn’t like the feeling at all.”

The Psychosocial Effect

Cases of food insecurity among higher education students are notably higher than the national average. Some of these factors include a lack of grocery stores on campuses, unreliable transportation, limited access to cooking areas, insufficient funds for groceries, and little to no cooking skills.

Many college students experiencing the hardships of food insecurity have reported it taking a negative toll on their mental well-being. Feelings of hopelessness, resentment towards food-secure students, and frustration towards their academic institution for lack of support are common emotions shared amongst food-insecure students.

“When you’re so stressed about food all the time, that takes a lot of mental power. You need room for creativity, you need room to do certain things. But, if all that’s in your head is cluttered, everything becomes blurry, you‘re not focusing on the bigger picture, you‘re only focused on what’s happening next.”

Mental Trade-off: Food vs. Academics

When overwhelming thoughts of hunger are clouding the mind, it is hard to focus and retain the information being taught in classes. Students suffering from food insecurity often find themselves failing courses or holding back from registering for future courses. Not only are they affected psychologically, but physically as well. Students are regularly lacking a sufficient amount of energy due to their limited resources. It has become a privilege to obtain healthier food options and most of the time food-insecure students are more concerned about quantity over quality.

"In a study conducted at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, the top three academic experiences reported by food-insecure students were difficulty concentrating in class or on an exam (73%), inability to study for an exam (23%), and inability to complete an assignment (15%)."

Break the Cycle

Poor mental health among food-insecure students could resort to them working less hours, therefore resulting in a lower income and an increased risk of food insecurity. This is why it is important for colleges to not only provide resources to alleviate food insecurity, but to promote holistic well-being. With the psychosocial, developmental, and economic impact that food insecurity has on students, it is evident this issue should be a main concern among higher education.

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References

Meza, Anthony, et al. "“It’s a feeling that one is not worth food”: a qualitative study exploring the psychosocial experience and academic consequences of food insecurity among college students." Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 119.10 (2019): 1713-1721.