Food Hubs as a Means to Promote Food Security in Post-Secondary Institutions: A Scoping Review

Abstract

An estimated 20 to 50% of post-secondary students experience food insecurity. Students who are food insecure are more likely to have poor health and lower academic performance relative to food secure peers. Food hubs are physical or digital spaces that provide access to food initiatives and wraparound programs such as employment placement or income support are increasingly of interest as a means to respond to food insecurity. We conducted a scoping review to identify best practices and effective approaches to food hubs that promote food security in post-secondary institutions in North America. The Medline, Embase, CAB Direct and Web of Science databases were searched. A total of 4637 articles were identified and screened by two reviewers. Four articles were included. They encompassed a mix of interventions: a campus pantry and garden, a food rescue program, food literacy-based curriculum and a toolkit to support implementation of interventions on campus. The heterogeneity of studies precluded identification of best practices, but positive impacts of all interventions were noted on metrics such as self-efficacy and greater awareness of food insecurity. The gap in evidence on effective approaches that promote campus food security is a critical barrier to development and implementation of interventions, and should be addressed in future studies.