Food Insecurity Among College Students: An Analysis of US State Legislation Through 2020

Melissa N Laska; Sheila Fleischhacker; Christina Petsoulis; Meg Bruening; Michael J Stebleton

doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2020.11.010

Food Insecurity Among College Students: An Analysis of US State Legislation Through 2020

J Nutr Educ Behav. 2021 Mar;53(3):261-266. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2020.11.010. Epub 2020 Dec 22.

Authors

Melissa N Laska¹, Sheila Fleischhacker², Christina Petsoulis³, Meg Bruening⁴, Michael J Stebleton⁵

Affiliations

¹ Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Law Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
³ University of Minnesota Law School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
⁴ College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
⁵ Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development, University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

PMID: 33358180
DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2020.11.010

Abstract

Many US college students experience food insecurity (FI). Given most students are excluded from receiving federal nutrition assistance, additional efforts are needed to alleviate student FI. This perspective discusses proposed and enacted state statutes, resolutions, and bills addressing college FI to date, which range in depth, breadth, and success. Overall, states have demonstrated their promising role in addressing FI; however, college FI promises to be a continuing challenge, particularly given continued widespread unemployment that began with the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 and the global struggle for economic recovery.

Keywords: college students; food insecurity; food security; policy; state legislation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Food Insecurity*
Humans
Nutrition Policy / legislation & jurisprudence*
State Government*
Students*
Vereinigte Staaten
Universitäten
Young Adult