Student food insecurity at the University of Manitoba

Abstract

While rates of food insecurity among various sectors of Canadian population are well documented, food security among post-secondary students as a particularly vulnerable population has emerged in recent years as an area of research. Based on a survey of 548 students in the 2015/16 school year, this article examines the extent of food insecurity among a population of undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Manitoba. Our study reveals that 35.3% of survey respondents face food insecurity. 23.5% of these students experience moderate food insecurity, while 11.8% are severely food insecurity. Using chi-square tests and regression analysis, we compare these rates with various demographic indicators to assess which students are at greater risk of food insecurity, factors contributing to food insecurity, and its effect on their student experience, their health and their lives in general. In contemplating funding for post-secondary institutions and increases in tuition fees, provincial governments need to consider how this will affect student food security