Gaps in Nutrition Assistance Programs for International Students in Institutions of Higher Education in the United States

Abstract

Background

High rates of food insecurity of up to 57% have been reported in college students in the United States (US). International students account for 6% of the US collegiate population. Yet, there is still limited data on the full extent of food insecurity among international students, including their access to nutrition assistance programs.

Objective

This study examined policy gaps in federal nutrition assistance programs and explored the availability of community-level programs available for international students in the US.

Study Design, Settings, Participants

The protocol of this review was registered on PROSPERO (ID: 616263). The search strategy for this study was two-fold. First, the authors accessed each state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the United States Department of Agriculture websites to identify any policies relevant to international students. Second, following the PRISMA guidelines, the authors searched for peer-reviewed articles on PubMed, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, and ERIC databases that provided evidence on existing community programs or interventions for this target group. The search yielded 2,091 articles, with fourteen articles meeting the inclusion criteria.

Measurable Outcome/Analysis

Gaps in existing federal and community nutrition assistance programs for international students in the US.

Results

The prevalence of food insecurity among international students ranged from 26.8% to 61%. SNAP’s eligibility criteria excluded the majority of international students. International students were neither restricted nor specifically mentioned as eligible for the Women Infants Children program. Other gaps included limited research on food insecurity and interventions for international students, lack of funding to support procurement and distribution of healthy foods to this group, and lack of partnerships between campus food security initiatives, university services, and community programs to address the complex needs of international students.

Conclusions

Despite the existence of on-campus food pantries in US colleges and universities that help food-insecure international students, other solutions are needed. There is a critical need for federal and state agencies to revise their policies that expand access to nutrition assistance programs among international students.

Funding

None