Vincent Tooke and Annalise Marchessault, “Tackling Food Insecurity at UW-Milwaukee: A Public Health Initiative”
Mentor: Rose Hennessy Garza, Public Health, Public Health (Joseph J. Zilber School of)
Poster #94
Food insecurity refers to a lack of access to sufficient food or high quality food, in order to meet one’s nutritional needs and maintain a healthy lifestyle. While food insecurity affects most populations, one of the most vulnerable are undergraduate college students. Factors such as financial constraints, lack of time and other socioeconomic factors are all barriers to accessing healthy food options. Outcomes of poor nutrition in this population can include a decrease in grade performance, mental health and well-being and physical health. The goal for this program would be to address the impact of food insecurity. Using a health behavior theory, this will be achieved by educating students on affordable and healthy food options, implementing a farmers market and improving food access on campus. To achieve this hypothetical project would utilize a modified version of Intervention Mapping, a planning framework used in public health to systematically develop and implement programs. Through this framework, key steps would include identifying and analyzing relevant literature to define the extent of the problem, determining modifiable risk and protective factors, selecting a health behavior theory, creating a logic model, and designing strategies for intervention. By tackling food insecurity, this initiative will aim to enhance public health by expanding resources for students, and ultimately reducing hunger among UW-Milwaukee undergraduate students and its associated negative outcomes.