Q&As with FIFSW social work researchers studying food insecurity
Social work practitioners, researchers, and policy makers have multiple touchpoints with food insecurity, both directly and indirectly. We asked faculty members and recent graduates from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work how food insecurity impacts the communities they work with and insights gleaned from their research.
Christina Hyland is a practicing Clinical Social Worker and Holistic Nutritionist in Burlington, Ontario. She completed her PhD at Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto, where she pursued research is in the area of homeless and/or street involved youth, looking specifically at the mental health implications of food insecurity, nutrition and eating struggles.
What inspires your interest in food insecurity?
I did my PhD at FIFSW on the intersections of youth enduring homelessness and experiences of having eating disorders while experiencing food insecurity. Early in my career, I was interested in working in the eating disorder field, but the issue of food insecurity, in particular, came up during my practicum at Living Rock, which is an organization in Hamilton that serves young people aged 13 to 25 facing challenges such as family loss, poverty, substance misuse, trauma, and mental health issues.
As someone who had recovered from my own eating disorder as a teen, going there and seeing the level of food insecurity of some of the clients — I just hadn’t had exposure to that as someone who grew up middle class. Knowing my own experience of needing to access to food to heal and then seeing the impact that food insecurity had on these young people, I realized: It’s not just about the food; there’s a deeper impact.
Based on your research and work, what insight would you offer to advocates, policy makers and practitioners working to address food insecurity?
Through my work, I have learned about the impact that food insecurity can have on youths’ sense of self, and how that can be expressed in their relationship with food and their relationship with their body. I’ve learned that eating struggles (such as eating disorders) don’t just impact upper class folks; that’s a misconception. No one is immune. A lot of youth that I worked with at Living Rock were struggling with disordered eating because of food insecurity but also because of deeper-rooted experiences of trauma (systemic and relational), stigma and discrimination. Food insecurity is traumatic. We need to pay attention to the mental health impact of food insecurity and ensure access to mental health supports for those who are facing it. This is especially since homelessness, poverty and food insecurity disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous and People of Colour communities. This focus on the mental health impact of food insecurity must include policies that target racism, housing, poverty and a basic income.
We can learn from initiatives such as the Poverty Reduction Strategy in Newfoundland, whereby rather than funding the charitable model of food security (e.g., food banks), social assistance rates were increased (between 2007-2011) which resulted in reduction of food insecurity among social assistance recipients. When youth have access to affording their basic needs, they access adequate nutrition. I have yet to meet a youth in my work, who was not aware of what healthy foods they require to best support their mental health or who did not allocate their funds to food — the issue is affordability and access.
Recent publications
Hyland, C. E., & Lee, E. (2024). Body mapping as a site to negotiate eating struggles and food insecurity for street-involved and homeless youth. Qualitative Social Work, 23(5), 887-907. https://doi.org/10.1177/14733250241245717 (Original work published 2024)
Rupaleem Bhuyan is a professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, an affiliate of the Women and Gender Studies Institute, and a Fellow with the Centre for Critical Qualitative Research at the University of Toronto. Working in collaboration with community partners and people with lived experience from across Canada, the United States, and India, Dr. Bhuyan’s research and advocacy work focus on the challenges faced by immigrants who have a temporary or precarious legal status and the impact their legal status has on access to social and health services. In 2011, Dr. Bhuyan co-created the Migrant Mothers Project in collaboration with a network of community-based organizations, women’s rights and immigrant rights groups, and grassroots activists to document how immigration policies contribute to gendered inequality and different forms of gender-based violence
What inspires your interest in food insecurity?
I began my career addressing gender-based violence, first as a peer educator in college and later supporting Indigenous and immigrant communities in the U.S. Growing up in an immigrant family from Assam, India, I experienced racism and sexism both at home and in school. These early experiences made me aware of how discrimination shapes daily life, but it was through my community work that I began to understand more fully how different forms of harm intersect and compound.
In my early work, I focused on financial abuse, income insecurity, and housing challenges, especially for immigrant women whose legal status and finances were tied to their spouse. Many faced limited options for leaving an abusive relationship because their ability to remain in the country — and to meet their basic needs — depended on their partner. At the time, I didn’t fully recognize how food insecurity factored into these dynamics of control.
Later, through advocacy with migrant caregivers in Canada, my understanding deepened. I saw how food insecurity became another tool of power. Some women were restricted in what they could eat, while others faced low wages, high housing costs, or long commutes that left little time for meals. These experiences underscored for me how precarious immigration status, combined with economic dependency, can be weaponized to instill fear and control. Food insecurity is not only about scarcity, but about how basic needs are manipulated to limit autonomy and reinforce dependency.
How does food insecurity impact the communities you work with?
Food insecurity is a daily reality for many immigrants with temporary status and newly arrived refugees in Canada, who face some of the highest rates of household poverty. Yet, immigration status — a key factor shaping health and well-being — is often overlooked in conversations about food access. Canada’s narrative as a “nation of immigrants” hides these inequities, and funding restrictions mean many services can’t support people with precarious or no status. As a result, frontline workers are often unprepared to address these complex needs.
In my work with migrants — including international students, temporary workers, sponsored spouses, refugee claimants, and undocumented people — I’ve seen how food insecurity goes beyond poverty. Caregivers seeking permanent residency have shared stories of not having time to eat, being restricted in their food choices, or being forced to eat separately from the family. These are clear signs of control and lack of autonomy, with serious impacts on health and dignity.
What questions has your work raised about how we approach solutions to food insecurity?
I’ve been inspired by the work of Dr. Bernice Yanful, whose research on school feeding programs in Ghana highlights the tension between food security and food sovereignty. While these programs improve nutrition and education, her work shows how global corporations and agencies often make local, culturally meaningful foods less accessible than imported products.
Her insights resonate in Canada, where migrant farmworkers — who grow much of our food — work under harsh conditions. Many are tied to temporary permits, separated from their families, and denied adequate housing, health care, and the chance at permanent residency, even after decades of labour. Dr. Yanful’s research reminds us that food insecurity is not just about distribution, but about the deeper inequalities in how food systems are structured and how the workers who sustain them are treated.
Recent projects and publications
Webinar
Bhuyan, R. and Pintin-Perez, M. (2020). Understanding how immigration policies shape gender-based violence among immigrants who have a temporary or precarious status [Webinar]. Learning Network. Centre for Research & Education on Violence against Women and Children. https://www.gbvlearningnetwork.ca/webinars/recorded-webinars/2020/webinar-2020-1.html
Website
Border(ing) Practices: Systemic Racism, Immigration & Child Welfare is a collaborative research project led by researchers at the University of Toronto and the University of Victoria working in partnership with child welfare, immigration, and gender-based violence service providers and advocates within Ontario and British Columbia.
We aim to understand how immigration policies and systemic racism shape child welfare policies and practices with children, youth and families.
Peer-reviewed publications
Bhuyan, R.; Osazuwa, S.; Schmidt, C.; Kwon, I.; Rundle, A.; & Park, Y. (2024). Canadian social workers’ attitudes toward immigrants with different legal statuses in Canada. Journal of Social Work. DOI: 10.1177/14680173241240942
Bhuyan, R., Valmadrid, L., Panlaqui, E. L., Pendon, N. L., & Juan, P. (2018). Responding to the structural violence of migrant domestic work: Insights from participatory action research with migrant caregivers in Canada. Journal of Family Violence, 33(8), 613-627. Available on T-Space: https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/2b7b9aff-1e03-4b0c-9ad0-39c218b718da/content
What inspires your interest in food insecurity?
My interest in food insecurity is deeply rooted in observing its multifaceted impact on adolescents and young adults, particularly concerning mental health and body image. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated economic disparities, leading to increased food insecurity among specific populations, including adolescents and young adults. This heightened my commitment to understanding how limited access to nutritious food affects psychological well-being and contributes to disorders such as muscle dysmorphia and eating disorders.
How has your research advanced our understanding of food insecurity?
My research has shed light on the intricate relationship between food insecurity and mental health issues among Canadian adolescents and young adults. In a study published in Body Image, we found that individuals experiencing food insecurity exhibited greater symptoms of muscle dysmorphia, characterized by an obsessive drive for muscularity and muscle dissatisfaction. Notably, nearly one in five participants facing food insecurity were at clinical risk for this condition.
Additionally, our research published in Eating Behaviors explored the associations between food insecurity and eating disorder psychopathology across different gender identities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study revealed that 8.9% of the sample experienced food insecurity, with the highest prevalence among transgender and gender diverse individuals. Generally, those with food insecurity reported higher levels of eating disorder psychopathology compared to those without.
How can your findings inform efforts to address the impacts of food insecurity and/or policies and actions to help eradicate it?
Our findings underscore the necessity for comprehensive interventions that address both the physical and psychological ramifications of food insecurity. Policies should aim to ensure consistent access to nutritious food, particularly for marginalized groups such as transgender and gender diverse individuals who are disproportionately affected. Integrating mental health support with nutritional assistance programs can help mitigate the development of disorders like muscle dysmorphia and eating disorders. Furthermore, public health initiatives should focus on education and awareness to destigmatize these conditions and promote early intervention. By adopting a holistic approach that combines economic support, mental health care, and community education, we can work towards alleviating the multifaceted impacts of food insecurity.
Recent publications
Hallward, L., Nagata, J. M., Testa, A., Jackson, D. B., & Ganson, K. T. (2023). Associations between gender identity, eating disorder psychopathology, and food insecurity among Canadian adolescents and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eating Behaviors, 49, 101723.
Nagata, J.M.; Chu, J.; Cervantez, L.; Ganson, K.T.; Testa, A.; Jackson, D.B.; Murray, S.B.; Weiser, S.D. (2023). Food insecurity and binge-eating disorder in early adolescence. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 56 (6), 1233-1239. EARLY ACCESS April 2023. DOI: 10.1002/eat.23944
Ganson, K.T.; Pang, N.L.; Testa, A.; Jackson, D.B.; & Nagata, J.M. (2023). Food insecurity is associated with muscle dysmorphia symptomatology among a sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults. Body Image, 47. EARLY ACCESS September 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.101628
Nagata, J.M.; Ganson, K.T.; Cattle, C.J.; Whittle, H.J.; Tsai, A.C.; & Weiser, S.D. (2021). Food insufficiency and mental health service utilisation in the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public Health Nutrition, 25(1), 76-81. DOI: 10.1017/S1368980021003001
Nagata, J.M.; Whittle, H.J.; Ganson, K.T.; Tabler, J.; Hahn, J.A.; & Weiser, S.D. (2021). Food insecurity risk and alcohol use disorder in US young adults: Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. American Journal on Addictions. Early Access AUG 2021. DOI: 10.1111/ajad.13218.
Carmen Logie is a professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, an Adjunct Scientist at Women’s College Research Institute, and an Adjunct Professor at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment & Health. She is also a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Global Health Equity and Social Justice with Marginalized Populations.
Dr. Logie’s research program advances understanding of, and develops interventions to address, stigma and other social ecological factors associated with HIV and STI prevention and care. She is particularly interested in understanding and addressing intersectional stigma and its sexual, reproductive, and mental health impacts, with a focus on HIV and STI.
What inspires your interest in food insecurity?
In 1994, I volunteered at the soup kitchen at Sistering and at the Daily Bread Food Bank. I had originally come to University of Toronto in 1994 wanting to be a criminal lawyer, but those two experiences made me really want to be a social worker. I also volunteered at this time on the HIV and AIDS floor at the Wellesley Hospital, which got me interested in HIV stigma. Back then, similar to today, HIV stigma can lead to isolation and rejection from family and friends, in turn profoundly affecting whether or not people seek and receive the care they need. Those experiences when I was 19 working with people experiencing food insecurity, and people living with HIV, never really left me.
How does food insecurity impact the communities you work with?
My work is around HIV and intersecting stigma. I led the stigma part of Canada’s largest women in HIV study called CHIWOS (Canadian HIV Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study) , where we found chronic food insecurity at very high levels among women living with HIV across Canada. We also found that food insecurity co-occurred with housing insecurity, and both food and housing insecurity drove HIV stigma over time. Additionally, I have been working in the Northwest Territories over the last 11 years with a Northern and Indigenous sexual health organization called Fostering Open eXpression among Youth (FOXY) and its counterpart SMASH (Strengths, Masculinities & Sexual Health), led by my colleague in the Northwest Territories Dr. Candice Lys. Through this research, we found that high rates of food insecurity are associated with depression, as well as poorer sexual health through reduced sexual relationship power and safer sex advocacy, which are HIV vulnerabilities.
How has your research advanced our understanding of food insecurity and how we approach solutions to eradicating it?
I think it is important to look at food insecurity through an intersectional stigma lens. Stigma — including HIV stigma, racism, LGBTQ stigma, and gender-based stigma — actually drive poverty, including food insecurity. But it’s bi-directional, so people who are food insecure and living in poverty also experience higher rates of poverty-related stigma and in the area in which I focus on poverty is also associated with increased HIV stigma. The pathologization of poverty stigmatizes people who receive health and social assistance and are living in poverty. It is also important to understand the relationship between food insecurity and sexual health. Our research has shown that food insecurity is tied to higher levels of community and intimate partner violence, gender inequity, as well as reduced sexual agency, and worse mental health outcomes. It is important for decision makers, advocates and the general public to understand that addressing food insecurity can help address these additional health impacts on individuals, families and our society as a whole.
Recent projects and publications
Podcast
Everybody Hates Me: Let’s Talk About Stigma – Hosted by Carmen Logie, Professor, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work — examines different kinds of stigma with a new guest each week. (Is there a specific episode you would recommend?)
Website
The SSHINE Lab (Stigma and Sexual Health Interventions to Nurture Empowerment) is a digital storytelling and mobile multi-media lab dedicated to examining the social factors that shape global sexual and reproductive health and rights, including stigma and discrimination.
Recent peer-reviewed publications
Logie, C.H.; Okumu, M.; Tailor, L.; Taing, L.; Dorea, C.; Mbuagbaw, L.; Hakiza, R.; Kibuuka-Musoke, D.; Katisi, B.; Nakitende, A.; Kyambadde, P.; Mackenzie, F.; & Admassu, Z. (2024).Water and food insecurity and linkages with physical and sexual intimate partner violence among urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda: cross-sectional survey findings. Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 14 (3), 261-276.
Logie, C.H.; Lys, C.; Sokolovic, N.; Malama, K.; Mackay, K.I.; McNamee, C. ; Lad, A.; & Kanbari, A. (2023). Examining Pathways from Food Insecurity to Safer Sex Efficacy Among Northern and Indigenous Adolescents in the Northwest Territories, Canada. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. EARLY ACCESS July 2023. DOI: 10.1007/s12529-023-10195-w
Logie, C.H.; Sokolovic, N.; Kazemi, M.; Islam, S.; Frank, P.; Gormley, R.; Kaida, A.; de Pokomandy, A.; & Loutfy, M. (2022). Does resource insecurity drive HIV-related stigma? Associations between food and housing insecurity with HIV-related stigma in cohort of women living with HIV in Canada. Journal of the International AIDS Society, 25. DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25913