Documenting food insecurity among children and yound adults in Quebec City


Laurence Godin, Université Laval

In Quebec, household food insecurity has significantly worsened since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to data from the INSPQ (Quebec National Institute for Public Health), in March 2023, 24% of Quebec households were facing marginal, moderate, or severe food insecurity—the highest proportion since April 2020. Families with minor children (particularly those led by single mothers), young adults and immigrant families are consistently more affected than others. Despite this trend, the situation of food insecurity among children and youth in Quebec City remains poorly documented. Their unique circumstances, marked by financial and social dependence to adults, the integration into institutions, such as schools, which can exercise surveillance, and their subjective experiences of poverty and financial precariousness, demand specific attention. In an effort to address this gap in knowledge, we set out to provide an initial overview of food insecurity among young people in Quebec City, conduction focus groups and interviews with various organizations working with this population. This presentation aims to highlight the key findings from this fieldwork.The results reveal that while the root causes of food insecurity among children and adolescents mirror those of the general population, their lived experience differs significantly. For children aged 0 to 12, the problems they encounter are those of their families. Besides poverty itself, the presence of children further complicates the intricate logistics of daily food consumption, already strained by limited resources in terms of both money and time. During adolescence, these challenges persist, compounded by age-specific issues such as the significance of friendships, social isolation exacerbated by food insecurity, and concerns related to body image, weight-related stigma, and eating disorders. Individuals and families from immigrant backgrounds may experience these issues differently, with gender roles placing an additional burden on girls and teenagers who can bear the responsibility of feeding their siblings, especially in contexts where parents work long hours and financial resources are limited. Among college and university students, food insecurity is characterized by both trivialization and stigmatization. The trivialization arises from the widespread belief that extreme financial insecurity is an inherent part of student life, while stigmatization stems from the daily experiences of shame commonly associated with this issue. International students can experience these same issues, coupled with the challenges posed by having to learn a new food culture. Furthermore, young adults in precarious social and financial situations, often seeking help from community organizations, frequently recount a lack of significant support throughout their lives, whether from family or from child protection services when they are involved. This lack of support not only affects their financial situation, but it also translates in a lack of the basic skills and knowledge necessary for proper nutrition and for independent, adult life more generally. Finally, the participants in this study voiced their own challenges in supporting children, adolescents, and young adults experiencing varying levels of food insecurity. While they appreciated having their work and challenges acknowledged through academic research, questions arise regarding how research can support them when the solutions to the problem of food security are well known, being closely tied to the fight against poverty. From a sociological perspective, further exploring the lived experience of children and young adults concerned with food insecurity may support a deeper sociological understanding of food, eating, and its role in fostering social bonds within a context of escalating inequalities and compounding crises.

This paper will be presented at the following session: