The struggle is real: Food insecurity and coping strategies among postsecondary international students


Jonathan Amoyaw, Dalhousie University; Barbara Twum-Antwi, University of Saskatchewan; Michelle Wang, Dalhousie University

International students make a significant contribution to their host institutions and countries. However, studying at a university or college in another country can be a demanding and stressful experience, especially in the initial stages. It requires resilience to adapt to a new learning environment, culture and way of life while juggling academic demands, work, and family obligations. These challenges may be exacerbated by financial pressure to cover academic and non-academic expenses such as tuition and rent, which increases the risk of experiencing food insecurity. As evidence from Canada and other popular immigrant-destination countries continues to accumulate, food insecurity among postsecondary students has been brought to the centre of policy and scholarly discussions. Yet, there are limited studies that synthesize insights from existing research on the risk factors of food insecurity among international students and the coping strategies they adopt to address their food needs, hence the focus of this scoping review. Examining the breadth of literature on factors related to food insecurity among international students would improve the understanding of the pertinent issues in this area and allow for the identification of research gaps that should be addressed in the future. This scoping review focuses on studies conducted in Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the USA since they are popular study places for international students. We searched the following databases for relevant studies: MEDLINE (through Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), PubMed, ERIC (via Ovid) and ProQuest. The Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology was used to guide this scoping review. Insights from this review reveal that international students face multiple challenges related to the quantity and quality of food they consume and their access to cultural foods, which worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings highlight not only the salience of logistical and socio-economic risk factors but also shed light on the diverse self-reliant coping strategies international students adopt to meet their food needs, often at the expense of their health and wellbeing. These insights can stimulate robust discussions about the role of social and institutional support in addressing food insecurity among international students.

Non-presenting authors:  Geoffrey Maina, University of Saskatchewan

This paper will be presented at the following session: