Hunger for knowledge: Food insecurity among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal
The experience of food insecurity in the South African university student population is not well documented or researched. Data to assess vulnerability to food insecurity in a sample of 1.083 students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg Campus) was collected between 2007 and 2010...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of the Free State
2013-12-01
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| Series: | Perspectives in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://196.255.246.28/index.php/pie/article/view/1838 |
| _version_ | 1797258009488916480 |
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| author | Nicholas Munro Michael Quayle Heather Simpson Shelley Barnsley |
| author_facet | Nicholas Munro Michael Quayle Heather Simpson Shelley Barnsley |
| author_sort | Nicholas Munro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The experience of food insecurity in the South African university student population is not well documented or researched. Data to assess vulnerability to food insecurity in a sample of 1.083 students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg Campus) was collected between 2007 and 2010 via a questionnaire developed specifically for this purpose. The results indicate that 20.8% of the sample experienced some level of vulnerability to food insecurity, with 16.1% reporting serious levels of vulnerability, and 4.7% experiencing severe to critical levels of vulnerability to food insecurity. Students on financial aid were found to be significantly more vulnerable to food insecurity when compared to those who were not on financial aid. A similar relationship was found between students in a bridging programme when their level of vulnerability to food insecurity was compared to those in mainstream programmes. The potential impact on university students’ educational outcomes and social and psychological well-being are discussed. The results are also contextualised within the retention and throughput efforts of South African higher education institutions, and recommendations for institutional responses are made.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T22:46:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4daa3502d00d48c58f1a62006bd4d312 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0258-2236 2519-593X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T22:46:43Z |
| publishDate | 2013-12-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Perspectives in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-4daa3502d00d48c58f1a62006bd4d3122024-03-18T11:11:30ZengUniversity of the Free StatePerspectives in Education0258-22362519-593X2013-12-0131410.38140/pie.v31i4.1838Hunger for knowledge: Food insecurity among students at the University of KwaZulu-NatalNicholas Munro0Michael Quayle1Heather Simpson2Shelley Barnsley3University of KwaZulu-NatalUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalUniversity of KwaZulu-Natal The experience of food insecurity in the South African university student population is not well documented or researched. Data to assess vulnerability to food insecurity in a sample of 1.083 students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg Campus) was collected between 2007 and 2010 via a questionnaire developed specifically for this purpose. The results indicate that 20.8% of the sample experienced some level of vulnerability to food insecurity, with 16.1% reporting serious levels of vulnerability, and 4.7% experiencing severe to critical levels of vulnerability to food insecurity. Students on financial aid were found to be significantly more vulnerable to food insecurity when compared to those who were not on financial aid. A similar relationship was found between students in a bridging programme when their level of vulnerability to food insecurity was compared to those in mainstream programmes. The potential impact on university students’ educational outcomes and social and psychological well-being are discussed. The results are also contextualised within the retention and throughput efforts of South African higher education institutions, and recommendations for institutional responses are made. http://196.255.246.28/index.php/pie/article/view/1838Food insecuritySouth African university students |
| spellingShingle | Nicholas Munro Michael Quayle Heather Simpson Shelley Barnsley Hunger for knowledge: Food insecurity among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Perspectives in Education Food insecurity South African university students |
| title | Hunger for knowledge: Food insecurity among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal |
| title_full | Hunger for knowledge: Food insecurity among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal |
| title_fullStr | Hunger for knowledge: Food insecurity among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hunger for knowledge: Food insecurity among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal |
| title_short | Hunger for knowledge: Food insecurity among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal |
| title_sort | hunger for knowledge food insecurity among students at the university of kwazulu natal |
| topic | Food insecurity South African university students |
| url | http://196.255.246.28/index.php/pie/article/view/1838 |
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