Hunger in Higher Education: Examining Food Insecurity Among Low-Income College Students in Wisconsin

• In Event: 72.066 - Poster Session 16
  In Poster Session: 72.066-5 - Society, Culture, and Change Poster Session

Abstract

This paper addresses injustice issues of food insecurity among low-income college students. Food insecurity is the inability to obtain or acquire daily nutrition and safe food. In turn, college attendance for low-income students has dramatically increased in the last 20 years. With this increase, there is also rising prevalence of food insecurity among low-income college students. Data is drawn from the Wisconsin Scholars Longitudinal Study (WSLS) to examine the experiences of low-income students through five case studies. Descriptive statistics are also drawn from fall 2008 and fall 2009 surveys from WSLS. Ultimately, the need to study food insecurity among college students will impact future policies and how colleges and universities can serve their students from low-income families.

Author

• Minhtuyen Mai, University of Wisconsin - Madison