Evaluation of food insecurity programs on campus: a scoping review.

Abstract

Background: While the prevalence of food insecurity among higher education students is consistently higher than the general population and some support is available, the extent to which programs developed to address food insecurity programs help students in higher education institutions remains unclear.

Objective: This scoping review aimed to comprehensively synthesise the existing evidence on campus-based programs in addressing food insecurity in higher education institutions.

Methods: A search was conducted on 5^th December 2023 in the electronic databases PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus to identify food insecurity programs for students attending higher education institutions. Peer-reviewed articles written in English and published between 1 January 2003 and 5 December 2023 that met the inclusion criteria were included. There were no restrictions on study designs. Identified studies were screened in two stages and data were independently extracted.

Results: Thirty-three studies were included in this review, with most programs implemented in the United States. A wide range of programs were found, grouped into two categories: 1) food assistance and 2) support services and resources (i.e., food-related courses and health professional services). One-third of studies illustrated student engagement in the development and/or implementation process. Outcomes related to the programs included the prevalence of food insecurity status, diet and food-related outcomes, and student perceptions, awareness, and utilisation of the programs. While half of the included studies reported the prevalence of food insecurity, only five studies evaluated whether the program led to an improvement in food security status among students. Barriers to (n=30) and facilitators of programs (n=24) were identified by students and other stakeholders who were directly involved in the programs.

Conclusions: Although this scoping review identified a wide range of campus-based programs to address food insecurity in higher education students, there is relatively limited evidence available on to what extent the programs improve food security levels. Identifying factors that hinder or facilitate campus-based programs from various stakeholders can help to inform researchers and policymakers in planning and developing food insecurity programs, particularly at the higher education level.