U of I students struggle with nutrition insecurity

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — College students at the U of I are struggling with nutrition insecurity.

Nutrition insecurity happens when you don’t get enough nutritional value throughout the day.

University of Illinois Clinical Assistant Professor Toni Gist said it’s something they’ve been dealing with for a while.

It comes from students spending money on books, tuition, and other expenses. She said the college does a good job of providing resources for students to get the nutrition they’re lacking. Gist also has a basket of food to give to students two times a week.

“Individual students’ kind of break your heart one at a time where you have one student who’s lightheaded and woozy, another student who said they signed up for your class. And then you have your own daughter in college who you’re trying to budget with and make sure her nutritional needs are being met,” Gist said.

She said about 25% of undergraduate students are struggling with nutrition insecurity.

But, one program at the U of I is working to combat nutrition insecurity.

“Where students who have nutritional needs that aren’t being met on their own can come and they can literally walk into Bevier Hall, Monday through Friday during our lunch hour,” Gist said. “And they can pick up a little token or they can just say ‘Hey I want to participate in Everybody Eats’ and they can order a hot meal to meet their bodies needs and choose from a variety of different options.”

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