Creating a Culture that Supports Food Security and Health Equity at Higher Education Institutions.

Food insecurity on college campuses is a major public health problem and has been documented for the last decade. Sufficient food access is a crucial social determinant of health, thus campuses across the country have implemented various programs, systems and policies to enhance access to food which have included food pantries, campus gardens, farmers' markets, meal share or voucher programs, mobile food applications, campus food gleaning, food recovery efforts, meal deliveries, and task force/working groups. However, little is understood about how to best address food insecurity and support students who are struggling with basic needs. The impact of food insecurity on students' academic and social success, in addition to their overall well-being, should be investigated and prioritized at each higher education institution. This is especially true for marginalized students, such as minority or first-generation students, who are at heightened risk for food insecurity. In order to create a culture of health equity, in which most at-risk students are provided resources and opportunities to achieve optimal well-being, higher education institutions must prioritize mitigating food insecurity on the college campus. Higher education institutions could benefit from adopting comprehensive and individualized approaches to promoting food security for marginalized students in order to facilitate equal opportunity for optimal scholastic achievement among students of all socio demographic backgrounds.