Study
Commercial ProductionHigh ImpactModerate effect

Campus food pantries address student food insecurity by optimizing local food environments.

The availability and diversity of food retailers in a campus's surrounding neighborhood significantly impact student food security and the effectiveness of campus food pantries.

Pepperdine Digital Commons (Pepperdine University) · 2020

01

Key Findings

  • 01Neighborhood food environments, characterized by the types and density of food stores, are significant factors influencing the need for and operation of campus food pantries.
  • 02Campus food pantries play a role in mitigating food insecurity among students, though their impact on dietary needs requires further exploration.
  • 03A greater variety of food stores in proximity to campuses is suggested as beneficial for serving diverse student populations.
02

Application

Design takeaway

When designing or implementing student support services, consider the surrounding commercial food landscape as a critical factor influencing need and effectiveness.

How to apply

Before establishing or expanding campus food pantries, conduct an audit of local food retailers to understand accessibility, variety, and potential gaps in the food environment.

Project actions

  • 01When researching a problem, consider the external factors that might be contributing to it, not just the immediate issue.
  • 02Think about how the physical environment (like shops and transport) impacts people's access to resources.
03

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate the factors contributing to the rise of campus food pantries, their effectiveness in alleviating student food insecurity, and their role in improving student dietary needs, by analyzing the relationship between neighborhood food environments and campus communities.
MethodQuantitative and Case Study Analysis
ProcedureThe study involved a quantitative analysis of responses from a participant questionnaire and a case study analysis. It identified metropolitan counties within U.S. census tracts to examine the relationship between neighborhood demographics, the local food environment, and their impact on campus communities, specifically exploring food accessibility and the types of food available at local retailers.
ContextHigher Education (US Public Four-Year Colleges and Universities)

Variables

IV["Types and density of food retailers in surrounding neighborhoods","Neighborhood demographics"]
DV["Growth of campus food pantries","Level of student food insecurity","Improvement in student dietary needs"]
CV["Type of institution (public, four-year)","Geographic location (metropolitan counties)"]
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Combines quantitative data with case study analysis for a more comprehensive understanding.
  • +Focuses on the under-researched intersection of campus food pantries and neighborhood food environments.

Limitations

The study's findings are specific to the US context and may not apply everywhere. It also suggests more research is needed on how pantries improve actual diets.

Reliability & validity

The quantitative questionnaire responses and case study analysis provide a mixed-methods approach, potentially enhancing both reliability (through consistent data collection) and validity (by triangulating findings from different sources). However, the generalizability of findings from specific metropolitan counties needs consideration.

Think critically

How might the 'food desert' concept, often applied to urban and rural areas, also be relevant to understanding food accessibility on or near college campuses?

05

Design Principles

"The effectiveness of a support service is influenced by the surrounding environmental context and the availability of complementary resources."

Understanding the relationship between the local food environment and student needs is crucial for designing effective support systems. This research highlights how the proximity and type of food outlets can influence the success of initiatives aimed at alleviating food insecurity on educational campuses.

06

What This Means for Your Design

This study shows that where students live and shop for food affects whether they need help from campus food pantries. Having different kinds of food stores nearby can make a difference.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Use this research to justify the need for a particular design solution by highlighting the environmental or systemic factors that create the problem.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

(2020). Books or food? Food insecurity and the rise of campus food pantries. Pepperdine Digital Commons (Pepperdine University). Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/24edfa36-b1af-484a-86bb-beae053baa5f/campus-food-pantries-address-student-food-insecurity-by-optimizing-local-food-environments

Paragraph starter

This research highlights the critical role of the surrounding food environment in shaping student food insecurity and the demand for campus food pantries. The study by Sharififard (2020) indicates that the types and proximity of local food retailers significantly influence the need for such services, suggesting that a diverse local food landscape can better support student populations.

09

Source

Pepperdine Digital Commons (Pepperdine University)

Books or food? Food insecurity and the rise of campus food pantries

journal · 2020

View source

Questions about this research

What does the research say about campus food pantries address student food insecurity by optimizing local food environments?
When designing or implementing student support services, consider the surrounding commercial food landscape as a critical factor influencing need and effectiveness. Evidence: Pepperdine Digital Commons (Pepperdine University) (2020).
Why does "Campus food pantries address student food insecurity by optimizing local food environments." matter for design?
Understanding the relationship between the local food environment and student needs is crucial for designing effective support systems. This research highlights how the proximity and type of food outlets can influence the success of initiatives aimed at alleviating food insecurity on educational campuses.
How can designers apply this research?
When designing or implementing student support services, consider the surrounding commercial food landscape as a critical factor influencing need and effectiveness.
What were the main findings?
Neighborhood food environments, characterized by the types and density of food stores, are significant factors influencing the need for and operation of campus food pantries.. Campus food pantries play a role in mitigating food insecurity among students, though their impact on dietary needs requires further exploration.. A greater variety of food stores in proximity to campuses is suggested as beneficial for serving diverse student populations.
What research method was used?
Quantitative and Case Study Analysis.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2020 journal from Pepperdine Digital Commons (Pepperdine University).
What should I do differently in my next project?
Before establishing or expanding campus food pantries, conduct an audit of local food retailers to understand accessibility, variety, and potential gaps in the food environment.
What are the limitations?
The study focuses on public four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and may not be generalizable to all higher education institutions or international contexts. The direct impact on dietary needs requires more in-depth investigation.
Is there evidence that food affects design outcomes?
The study found that the types of food stores in areas surrounding universities are linked to student food insecurity, and campus food pantries are a response to this issue. More diverse food retail options nearby could better support student needs. Understanding the relationship between the local food environment and Source: Pepperdine Digital Commons (Pepperdine University) (2020).
Where does this food insecurity research apply?
Higher Education (US Public Four-Year Colleges and Universities) It sits within commercial production research on designdex.org.

Related research topics

food design research · evidence on food · does food improve design outcomes · food insecurity studies for designers · food and food insecurity findings · commercial production research evidence