Last week, WUOT News contributor Heather Duncan reported on efforts to fight food insecurity in East Tennessee, from farmer’s markets to food stamps. Today, we continue our look at hunger on HealthConnections. We take a special look at a group you might not think of as in need – college students. The University of Tennessee’s Dr. Betsy Anderson Steeves has been researching that very issue. In this conversation with Dr. Carole Myers, Anderson Steeves reveals:
- A 2017 survey found one in three University of Tennessee Knoxville students experiences food insecurity
- Uncertainty about food access and inadequate nutrition can negatively impact a student's grades, health and quality of life
- The limited diet choices for food-insecure students can also contribute to obesity, diabetes and other chronic health problems
UTK recently mouted a weeklong series of events designed to inform and raise awareness about hunger and homelessness on campus. Dr. Anderson Steeves presented much of the material you hear in this edition of HealthConnections.