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Food Security

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The Syrian Refugees' Impact on Lebanon's Food Security / Noura Sakr  (Politecnico Milano)

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• Agrarian transition and food security in the Village of Nahle, Northern Bekaa / Fatima Yahfoufi Thesis. M.S. American University of Beirut. Food Security Program, 2023.
• Exploring the potential role of urban agriculture as a community engagement strategy in universities during a food security crisis: the American university of Beirut as a case study / by Melody Tamer Thesis. M.S. American University of Beirut. Food Security Program, 2022.
• The contribution of urban agriculture to food security in post-conflict Syria / by Ali Hashem Alhasan. Thesis. M.S. American University of Beirut. Food Security Program, 2021.
• Agrarian transition and food security in the village of Nabha, Central Bekaa / by Nour El Houda Amhez. Thesis. M.S. American University of Beirut. Food Security Program, 2019. ST:6925.
• Agrarian transition and food security in the village of Khreibet El Jundi, Akkar, Lebanon / by Nour El-Jundi. Thesis. M.S. American University of Beirut. Food Security Program, 2019. ST:6976.
• Assessing ecologically sound practices influencing climate change adaptation strategies and food security : a case of smallholder farmers in central Bekaa, Lebanon / by Aliaa Ahmad Al Dirani. Thesis. M.S. American University of Beirut. Food Security Program, 2019. ST:6975.
• The effectiveness of food aid on food availability and food stability among small scale pastoralist communities in Tana River County, Kenya / by Kelvin Kiragu Kimani. Thesis. M.S. American University of Beirut. Food Security Program , 2019. ST:7037.
• The role of household-level dairy preservation ("mouneh" production) in the food, protein, and nutrition security, and in the food sovereignty of Jordanian households / by Hannah Nicholson. Thesis. M.S. American University of Beirut. Food Security Program, 2019. ST:7038.
• واقع الأمن الغذائي في الأردن = Food Security Status in Jordan by جوابرة ، رنيم زياد أحمد Publication Date: 2015
• الأبعاد السياسية و الاقتصادية للأمن المائي العربي و أثره على الأمن الغذائي ( 2000 - 2013 م ) = Political and Economic Dimensions of the Arab Water Security and its Impact on Food Security 2000 - 2013 by الدغمي ، صايل رميح طنا Publication Date: 2014
• التبعية الغذائية العربية و الأمن القومي العربي : الأسباب و الآثار = Food Dependency and Arab National Security : Causes and Effects by الشوك ، رباب علي جميل أمين Publication Date: 2011

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Gabbert, Silke, and Hans-Peter Weikard. "Food deficits, food security and food aid : concepts and measurement." Universität Potsdam, 1998. http://opus.kobv.de/ubp/volltexte/2006/858/.

Duncan, Jessica. "The reformed Committee on World Food Security and the global governance of food security." Thesis, City University London, 2014. http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/3511/.

Mannette, Jessica. "Food Security in Urban New Zealand: Food Waste, Food Utopias, and Food Values." Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/40383.

Parnell, Winsome R., and n/a. "Food security in New Zealand." University of Otago. Department of Human Nutrition, 2005. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070426.162526.

Butrico, Gina Marie. "Food Security and Identity: Iceland." Kent State University / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1374943947.

MANE, ERDGIN. "Microeconometric analysis of food security." Doctoral thesis, Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/2108/207736.

Raedeke, Maurine A. "Food security, nutrition and health of food pantry participants." Diss., Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10355/4839.

Korale, Gedara Pradeepa. "Food Market Integration and Food Security in Sri Lanka." Thesis, Griffith University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366843.

Esamwata, Joab O. "Exporting food, importing food aid? : Kenya and food security in the world food system." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/18698.

Drewett, Jessica. "Student food security: the (dis)connection between student food experiences, sustainability and green spaces from the lens of food security." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29622.

Cochrane, Logan. "Strengthening food security in rural Ethiopia." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/61073.

Long, Lauren Christine. "Food security and family well-being." Thesis, Montana State University, 2007. http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2007/long/LongL0507.pdf.

Kersten, Larissa C. S. K. "Food security and Preferential Trade Agreements." Thesis, University of Essex, 2018. http://repository.essex.ac.uk/22837/.

Al-Azri, Masoud. "Modelling crop diseases for food security." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2017. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/44777/.

McQueary, Brandy Jeanette. "Cincinnati Food Security: A Community Assessment." Cincinnati, Ohio : University of Cincinnati, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc//view?acc_num=ucin1211996556.

Taylor, Nicole. "The Public Market System of New Orleans: Food Deserts, Food Security, and Food Politics." ScholarWorks@UNO, 2005. http://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/250.

Smith, Kara C. 1974. "The Lane County Food Policy Council and Re-framing Food Security." Thesis, University of Oregon, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/7889.

Adjapong, Frederick Kwaku. "Linking Food Security Governance and Changing Food Security Priorities: A Case Study of the Northern Region of Ghana." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou162885878645884.

González, Calabuig Andreu. "Electronic Tongues for food and security applications." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/643301.

Jeanty, Pierre Wilner. "Two essays on environmental and food security." Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1164833528.

Lambden, Allison Jill. "Food security of Canadian Arctic indigenous women." Thesis, McGill University, 2006. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=99342.

Bajželj, Bojana. "Land use, food security and climate change." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2015. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.709356.

Malan, LP, and Rooyen EJ van. "Community partnerships- enhancing municipal food security policy." Journal of Public Administration, 2010. http://encore.tut.ac.za/iii/cpro/DigitalItemViewPage.external?sp=1001174.

Williams, Dana M. "Food security and access in Akron, Ohio." Akron, OH : University of Akron, 2002. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=akron1107371980.

Solaroli, Laura <1983&gt. "Assessing Food Security in Selected Mediterranean Countries." Doctoral thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2014. http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/6659/1/TESI_PhD_Laura_Solaroli_1.pdf.

Solaroli, Laura <1983&gt. "Assessing Food Security in Selected Mediterranean Countries." Doctoral thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2014. http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/6659/.

Chen, Jinzhou <1995&gt. "Food Security Drivers: the case of China." Master's Degree Thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10579/16756.

Gupta, Rachita. "Study of food security impediments in India." Thesis, IIT Delhi, 2019. http://eprint.iitd.ac.in:80//handle/2074/8124.

Tincani, Lucrezia Stella. "Resilient livelihoods : adaptation, food security and wild foods in rural Burkina Faso." Thesis, SOAS, University of London, 2012. http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/13609/.

Zhao, Ke. "Australian water security and Asian food security: complexity and macroeconomics of sustainability." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/12771.

O'Hare-Gordon, Meagan Ann. "School-Based Food Programming in the Northwest Territories: Working Towards More than Just Food Security." Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/35258.

Whiting, Erin Feinauer. "Understanding reservation hunger food acquisition and food security among the northern Cheyenne /." Diss., Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10355/4444.

Webb-Yeates, Morgan. "Food Defense Among Meat Processing and Food Service Establishments in Kentucky." TopSCHOLAR®, 2013. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1249.

Gendron, Danielle Renee. "Eating Gitxaała, being Gitxaała : food and cultural security." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/57890.

Stokes, Hamish Maynard. "Food security debate : limited logic and partial truths /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 2001. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09AR/09ars8743.pdf.

Wright, Helena Louise. "Effective finance for food security under climate change." Thesis, Imperial College London, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/43800.

Tiwasing, Pattanapong. "Nutrition, labour productivity and food security in Thailand." Thesis, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10443/3412.

Yobom, Oudah. "Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in Sahel." Thesis, Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 2020. http://www.theses.fr/2020UBFCG001.

Johnson, Michelle. "Measurement of household food security in rural Ecuador." The Ohio State University, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1407147571.

Kane, Kathleen Joanne. "Diet quality and Food Security of Cancer Patients." The Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1524141604292618.

Nakabo, Ssewanyana Sarah. "Women and household food security in rural Uganda." Thesis, Faculty of Agriculture, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/14527.

Kankwamba, Henry [Verfasser]. "Economic disruptions, markets and food security / Henry Kankwamba." Bonn : Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Bonn, 2020. http://d-nb.info/1225793084/34.

Delbourg, Esther. "Achieving water security through cooperation and food trade." Thesis, Université Paris-Saclay (ComUE), 2016. http://www.theses.fr/2016SACLX077/document.

Dhungel, Tanka Prasad. "Agro-Economic environment and food security in Sikkim." Thesis, University of North Bengal, 2018. http://ir.nbu.ac.in/handle/123456789/3612.

Foord, Wayne. "Energy scarcity and food security : strategies for transition to resilient food system governance." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 2016. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.705918.

Reynolds, Stuart David. "Resilience to food insecurity: Measuring access to food in the urban environment." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Geography, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/9454.

Yao, Ruoxue. "Trends in beverage consumption among U.S. food secure and food insecure adults: NHANES 2001-2010." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1384869898.

Chhabra, Surbhi. "Social Capital, Social Support, and Food Insecurity in Food Pantry Users." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1342540700.

Munim, Khandaker Mohammed Ashraful. "Salinity intrusion and food security : evidence from three food systems in south-western Bangladesh." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.634213.

Mwakatoga, Joyce Donald. "Improving Food Production and Food Security in Tanzania through a Youth DevelopmentProgram in Agriculture." The Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1469199250.

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eTable. Sociodemographic Characteristics Assessed and Their Corresponding Question(s) on the Survey

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Hammad NM , Leung CW. Food Insecurity Among Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Trainees. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(2):e2356894. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.56894

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Food Insecurity Among Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Trainees

• 1 Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts

Question   What is the prevalence of food insecurity among graduate students and postdoctoral trainees at 3 schools at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, and what factors are associated with food insecurity?

Findings   In this cross-sectional survey study with 1745 participants, 17% of graduate students and 13% of postdoctoral trainees experienced food insecurity during the academic year. Among graduate students, factors associated with food insecurity included belonging to a racial and ethnic minority group, receiving financial aid, and having housing instability; among postdoctoral trainees, these factors included receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, having housing instability, and not owning a car.

Meaning   These findings suggest that national and institutional interventions are needed to address the complex, structural factors related to food insecurity among graduate student and postdoctoral trainee populations.

Importance   Food insecurity on college campuses has emerged as an urgent public health priority; however, there has been a lack of studies focused on graduate students or postdoctoral trainees, particularly those enrolled at private academic institutions.

Objective   To estimate the prevalence of and factors associated with food insecurity among graduate students and postdoctoral trainees at a private academic university in Boston, Massachusetts.

Design, Setting, and Participants   In this cross-sectional survey study, a survey on food insecurity was sent to graduate students and postdoctoral trainees at 3 health-focused graduate schools at Harvard University during the end of the spring 2023 academic term (April to June). Participants were studying medicine, dental medicine, or public health. Data analysis was performed from July to September 2023.

Exposure   Sociodemographic characteristics of graduate students and postdoctoral trainees.

Main Outcomes and Measures   The primary outcome was food insecurity as assessed using the US Household Food Security Survey Module. Food insecurity also encompassed low and very low food security. Bidirectional stepwise logistic regression models were conducted to estimate the factors associated with food insecurity for graduate students and postdoctoral trainees.

Results   The analytic sample included 1745 participants (response rate, 55%): 1287 were graduate students and 458 were postdoctoral trainees. The median age of respondents was 29.0 (IQR, 7.0) years, and more than half (1073 [61.5%]) identified as female. A total of 694 respondents (39.8%) identified as Asian, 625 (35.8%) as White, and 426 (24.4%) as being of other race or ethnicity. The prevalence of food insecurity was 17.4% (224 of 1287) among graduate students and 12.7% (58 of 458) among postdoctoral trainees. Among graduate students, factors associated with food insecurity included being Asian (OR, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.01-1.11]) or of other race or ethnicity (OR, 1.07 [95% CI, 1.02-1.13]), receiving financial aid (OR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.05-1.13]), and having housing instability (OR, 1.53 [95% CI, 1.45-1.61]). Among postdoctoral trainees, factors associated with food insecurity included receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (OR, 1.59 [95% CI, 1.28-1.97]), having housing instability (OR, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.22-1.45]), and not owning a car (OR, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.04-1.18]).

Conclusions and Relevance   In this study, a substantial proportion of graduate students and postdoctoral trainees at a private academic institution experienced food insecurity during the academic year. These findings underscore the need for national and institutional interventions to address the complex, structural factors related to food insecurity in these distinct populations.

Food insecurity, defined as the lack of access to enough food to attain a healthy, active life, is an important social determinant of future economic mobility and health outcomes for young adults. In 2022, the prevalence of food insecurity was 12.8% in the US and 8.5% in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1

In the past decade, food insecurity on college campuses has emerged as an urgent public health priority. Prior studies have shown that college food insecurity is associated with lower academic performance, adverse health behaviors, and poor mental health. 2 , 3 Exposure to food insecurity during college has also been associated with lower college graduation rates and higher risk of food insecurity in later adulthood. 4 , 5 Despite this robust existing literature, most studies have been conducted among undergraduate students enrolled at 2- or 4-year public institutions; few studies have been conducted among students enrolled at private institutions, and even fewer studies have assessed food insecurity among graduate students. 6 Additionally, to our knowledge, no study has examined food insecurity among postdoctoral trainees (eg, those with a doctoral degree enrolled in a full-time training position to facilitate the transition to an independent investigator). 7 Exploring food insecurity among graduate students and postdoctoral trainees is important because of the complexities of their experiences, which could exacerbate food insecurity. Examples include difficulties in achieving work-life balance, financial hardships, and demanding and stressful workloads. 8 , 9 For postdoctoral trainees specifically, salaries are often based on the US National Institutes of Health model, which may be insufficient to meet the true costs of living in some geographic areas or the needs of other family members. 10

Given that food insecurity is an urgent public health problem with long-term implications, studying food insecurity among future health professionals and health-focused academic researchers becomes even more important. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of food insecurity and the factors associated with it among students and postdoctoral trainees at 3 health-focused graduate schools within Harvard University.

The protocol for this cross-sectional survey study was considered exempt by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Office of Regulatory Affairs and Research Compliance. Written consent was obtained electronically at the beginning of the survey. The study followed the American Association for Public Opinion Research ( AAPOR ) reporting guideline for survey studies.

Using registration information obtained from registrar offices of the 3 respective schools, we invited all master’s and PhD-level graduate students and postdoctoral trainees (n = 3621) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of Dental Medicine to complete a brief online (Qualtrics) survey via an email with a personalized survey link. Over a 3-week period, students and trainees received up to 3 reminder emails to complete the survey. Respondents received a $10 gift card upon survey completion. The survey was sent during the end of the spring 2023 academic term (April to June). We received 1443 responses from graduate students and 525 responses from postdoctoral trainees, reflecting a 55% total response rate. After excluding 218 respondents with missing data, 11 who did not provide consent, and 26 who were enrolled in fully remote programs, the final analytic sample included 1287 graduate students and 458 postdoctoral trainees.

We assessed food insecurity using the validated 18-item US Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM). 11 The HFSSM was not developed specifically for college students; however, this measure has been used extensively to assess food insecurity in college populations because there is no current measure of food insecurity specific to college students. 12 , 13 Indicators were modified to assess experiences over the past academic year (ie, since the beginning of the fall 2022 semester). Food security was categorized as follows: (1) high food security (0 affirmative responses to the survey items), defined as having no problems or anxiety about access to sufficient food; (2) marginal food security (1-2 affirmative responses to the survey items), defined as having some problems or anxiety about access to sufficient food, but the quality and quantity of food intake were not considerably reduced; (3) low food security (3-5 affirmative responses for households without children or 3-7 affirmative responses for households with children), defined as the reduction in the quality but without a considerable reduction in the quantity of food consumed; and (4) very low food security (6-10 affirmative responses for households without children or 8-18 affirmative responses for households with children), defined as a disruption of eating patterns and a reduction in the quantity of food consumed due to the lack of money and other resources for food. 11 , 14 Food security encompassed both high and marginal food security, and food insecurity encompassed both low and very low food security.

We collected information on the sociodemographic characteristics of students and trainees, including age, gender identity, race and ethnicity, marital status, parental status, employment status, first-generation status, residency status, degree type, receipt of financial aid, receipt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, car ownership, and housing stability. Students and trainees reported their age in years; age was analyzed as both a continuous variable (for descriptive purposes) and as a categorical variable (≤30, 31-40, 41-50, or >50 years) in regression analyses. Gender identity was assessed using the categories female, male, transgender woman, transgender man, or neither exclusively male nor female; due to sparse sample sizes, these categories were collapsed into female, male, and other (including transgender man, transgender woman, neither exclusively male nor female [gender-queer or gender nonconforming], agender, and 2-spirit) to protect the identities of those respondents. Race and ethnicity were self-reported by respondents using categories based on the US Office of Management and Budget 15 revisions to the standards for the classification of federal data on race and ethnicity. Due to sparse sample sizes, race and ethnicity categories were collapsed into Asian, White, and other race or ethnicity (including American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Hispanic, Middle Eastern or North African, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and multiple races or ethnicities) to protect the identities of those respondents. In this study, race and ethnicity was assessed because of its association with food insecurity, as indicated in previous literature. 16 Marital status (married, single, divorced, separated, or living with a partner), parental status (having children or not having children), and employment status (currently working for pay or currently not working for pay) were self-reported. Information about employment status was only collected among graduate students. First-generation status was defined as both of the respondent’s parents having less than a college degree. Residency status was assessed as whether the respondent had domestic, international, or other residential status. Degree type (master’s degree; PhD, DMD, or equivalent degree; or postdoctoral trainee) was assessed as the respondent’s current program type. Receipt of financial aid (yes or no) was defined as whether the respondent had received any financial aid, need-based grants or scholarships, or need-based loans to pay for college, living expenses, or both since the beginning of the fall 2022 semester. Only graduate students were asked about their receipt of financial aid. Participation in SNAP (yes or no) was defined as whether the respondent reported receipt of SNAP benefits since the beginning of the fall 2022 semester. Car ownership (yes or no) was defined as whether the respondent owned a vehicle. Finally, housing instability (yes or no) was defined as an affirmative response to either of the following: (1) any inability to pay the mortgage or rent on time or in full or (2) worry about losing housing since the beginning of the fall 2022 semester. The questions pertaining to the sociodemographic characteristics are available in the eTable in Supplement 1 .

Sociodemographic characteristics of students and trainees by food security categories were compared using χ 2 tests for categorical variables (or the Fisher exact test when appropriate; ie, for variables with sample sizes <10 per cell) and 2-sample t tests for continuous variables. Factors associated with food insecurity were estimated using bidirectional stepwise logistic regression with food insecurity as the outcome and sociodemographic characteristics as covariates, with separate models fit for graduate students and postdoctoral trainees. Covariates included respondent self-reported age, gender identity, race and ethnicity, marital status, parental status, first-generation student status, receipt of financial aid (not included in the postdoctoral trainee model), receipt of SNAP benefits, car ownership, and housing instability. We examined the presence of multicollinearity between the covariates in the regression models using the variance inflation factor.

Statistical analysis was performed in R, version 4.2.2 (R Project for Statistical Computing). All tests were 2 sided, and P  < .05 was considered statistically significant. Data analysis was performed from July to September 2023.

This study included 1745 participants: 1287 were graduate students and 458 were postdoctoral trainees. Their sociodemographic characteristics are presented in Table 1 . The median age of all respondents was 29.0 (IQR, 7.0) years. More than half of the respondents (1073 [61.5%]) identified as female, and 637 (36.5%) identified as male. A total of 694 respondents (39.8%) identified as Asian, 625 (35.8%) as White, and 426 (24.4%) as being of other race or ethnicity. Among all respondents, 280 (16.0%) experienced marginal food security, 177 (10.1%) experienced low food security, and 105 (6.0%) experienced very low food security.

Among the 1287 graduate students, 224 (17.4%) were food insecure. Food insecurity was higher among students identifying as other race or ethnicity (88 [26.0%]), first-generation students (55 [23.7%]), students who received SNAP benefits (23 [31.9%]) or financial aid (108 [26.0%]), students with housing instability (104 [55.9%]), and students who did not own a car (189 [19.5%]). Among the 458 postdoctoral trainees, 58 (12.7%) were food insecure. Food insecurity was higher among male students (35 [16.7%]), students who received SNAP benefits (5 [62.5%]), students with housing instability (22 [39.3%]), and students who did not own a car (51 [16.3%]).

The results of the bidirectional stepwise regression models are shown in Tables 2 and 3 . Among graduate students, factors associated with food insecurity included being Asian (odds ratio [OR], 1.06 [95% CI, 1.01-1.11]) or of other race or ethnicity (OR, 1.07 [95% CI, 1.02-1.13]), receiving financial aid (OR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.05-1.13]), and having housing instability (OR, 1.53 [95% CI, 1.45-1.61]) ( Table 2 ). Among postdoctoral trainees, factors associated with food insecurity included receiving SNAP benefits (OR, 1.59 [95% CI, 1.28-1.97]), having housing instability (OR, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.22-1.45]), and not owning a car (OR, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.04-1.18]) ( Table 3 ). No evidence of multicollinearity, as assessed using the variance inflation factor, was detected in these models.

To our knowledge, this study is the first to assess food insecurity among graduate students and postdoctoral trainees at a private academic university in Boston, Massachusetts. The findings demonstrate a high prevalence of food insecurity, higher than both national and state averages. 1 Furthermore, 1 in 3 respondents responded affirmatively to at least 1 indicator of food insecurity; this is concerning given that even marginal levels of food security have been associated with poorer health. 17

The implications of food insecurity in this population of future health professionals are substantial. Food insecurity has adverse consequences on student health, well-being, and success. Students experiencing food insecurity have a higher risk of mental health issues, including stress, anxiety, and depression. 18 They are also more likely to have lower diet quality compared with their food-secure counterparts. 19 Food insecurity has consequences on student academic performance and could hinder their academic achievement and success. 4 , 18 , 19 Nevertheless, the existing body of food insecurity research predominantly focuses on the undergraduate student population or a combination of undergraduate and graduate student populations. This presents a major limitation in the food insecurity literature given that previous studies have shown varying characteristics associated with food insecurity for the distinct undergraduate and graduate student populations. 20 , 21 Future studies are needed to examine the long-term health and academic trajectories of food insecurity, with a focus on graduate students as a distinct and unique population.

Although the consequences of food insecurity among college students have been established, there is a notable gap in the literature on adverse outcomes associated with food insecurity among postdoctoral trainees. This gap is concerning given that the postdoctoral period is often a stepping stone to future academic and research-intensive careers. Postdoctoral trainees’ social identity, gender identity, race and ethnicity, and the intersectionality of these factors all affect their career self-efficacy, which later affects their transition to academia. 22 These disparities in transition to academia could be exacerbated by food insecurity and its aforementioned associated factors, as food insecurity is also associated with social stigma and belonging to a racial and ethnic minority group. 23 This underscores the need for future studies aimed at examining the consequences of food insecurity among the postdoctoral trainee population.

There are existing strategies to improve food access at the 3 Harvard University graduate schools that were the focus of the present study. For example, graduate students and postdoctoral trainees are offered 20% discounts on foods and beverages purchased at some school cafeterias. 24 , 25 The main cafeteria at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health also offers Daily Dollar Deals for breakfast and lunch, which were implemented due to anecdotal evidence of rising student food insecurity. 26 In addition, many on-campus meetings offer free meals to their attendees, which may be an important food resource for individuals at risk of food insecurity. The aforementioned strategies need to be formally evaluated and assessed for effectiveness, limitations and barriers, and sustainability in addressing food insecurity.

Given the lifelong consequences of food insecurity, our findings may urge other private academic institutions to assess food insecurity among their graduate students and postdoctoral trainees—both understudied populations—and identify and implement institutional interventions. Previous studies have shown the effectiveness of short-term interventions such as campus food pantries in addressing food insecurity and improving participant diet-related outcomes. 27 , 28 However, food pantries are meant to provide short-term support for individuals needing immediate access to food. Acknowledging the limitations of short-term interventions, the establishment of comprehensive, more sustainable initiatives becomes paramount. An illustrative example is the establishment of a basic needs initiative at the University of California that aims to create “a long-term strategy to eliminate basic needs insecurity.” 29 Although this is not a permanent solution, it acknowledges and recognizes that food insecurity and other basic needs insecurities are prominent among students and should be addressed holistically. Future long-term, sustainable interventions and policies—such as increasing the living wage of graduate students and postdoctoral trainees to accurately reflect the cost of living across diverse geographic areas—are still needed. 30 , 31

The primary limitation of this study is its cross-sectional design, which limits causal interpretations of food insecurity and the factors associated with it. Additionally, due to the limited sample size, some gender and racial and ethnic categories were collapsed to protect the identities of those individuals, limiting our ability to make inferences about food insecurity in specific structurally marginalized groups. Our findings cannot be generalized to medical students, as their responses are being captured in another multi-institutional study of food insecurity. Furthermore, this study was conducted at only 1 academic private institution in an urban setting, which limits its generalizability to other academic and geographic settings. The survey was also administered near the end of the spring 2023 academic term, which may have contributed to a lower response rate due to students’ other preoccupying obligations. Finally, social desirability bias may have led to the underreporting of food insecurity in this study.

The findings of this cross-sectional survey study suggest that there is a concerning level of food insecurity among future health professionals and health-focused academic researchers. These findings underscore the need for interventions and systematic policy changes to address this crucial problem, and they urge other private institutions to recognize and assess food insecurity among their graduate students and postdoctoral trainees.

Accepted for Publication: December 27, 2023.

Published: February 20, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.56894

Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC-BY-NC-ND License . © 2024 Hammad NM et al. JAMA Network Open .

Corresponding Author: Nour M. Hammad, MSc, Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Bldg 2, Room 320, Boston, MA 02115 ( [email protected] ).

Author Contributions: Ms Hammad and Dr Leung had full access to all of the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Concept and design: Both authors.

Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: Both authors.

Drafting of the manuscript: Hammad.

Critical review of the manuscript for important intellectual content: Both authors.

Statistical analysis: Hammad.

Obtained funding: Leung.

Administrative, technical, or material support: Both authors.

Supervision: Leung.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported.

Funding/Support: This project was funded by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Dean’s Office.

Role of the Funder/Sponsor: The funder had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Data Sharing Statement: See Supplement 2 .

Additional Contributions: We acknowledge Palak Madan and Meghan Harshaw, MPH students at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Department of Nutrition, for assisting with data collection. Financial compensation was provided for these contributions. We also thank the graduate students and postdoctoral trainees for participating in this study.

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