Approximately 40% of UK students experience food insecurity. This negatively impacts academic performance, physical and mental health, and social relationships. Various recommendations have been made to address this but are lacking the student voice, particularly in the UK context. To address this we consulted with ten higher education students (mean age 25) who had experienced food insecurity in one UK Higher Education Institution (North-West England). We aimed to identify and prioritise local practical solutions, and broader policy and research priorities. Suggestions were analysed using content analysis and further interpreted using the COM-B model and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Students identified 28 unique suggestions across six themes (food and drink, cultural considerations, financial support, facilities, housing considerations, communications). The top three priorities were (1) Consider rent/ accommodation as a basic need, (2) Improve access to bursaries/funds, (3) Increase access to more nutritious and affordable food. Discussions highlighted the need for cultural considerations, such as acceptability of ‘hand-outs’ and diversity of available food. Students identified research and policy priorities addressing the wider determinants of health relating to transport, national rent prices and the food system. Applying a theoretical lens highlighted the need to ensure these basic needs are met to enable students from all backgrounds to reach their potential. Future work should focus on implementing and evaluating these findings locally through tailored campus-based solutions, and nationally through policy and funded research calls.
Coupe et al. (Wed,) studied this question.