title: Sustaining dignity? food insecurity in homeless young people in urban Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Food insecurity is recognised as an increasing problem in disadvantaged and marginalised groups. The aim of this study was to investigate issues associated with food insecurity and nutrition in young people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness in metropolitan Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight focus group discussions were conducted with 48 young people (aged between 15 and 25 years) in specialist homelessness services in central and south-western Sydney.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants described daily experiences of food insecurity, persistent hunger and poverty. Structural barriers to food security and nutrition were identified and included poverty and reduced physical access to fresh foods. Participants also described a desire to save time, for convenience and to be socially connected. Despite the hardships and the chaos of youth homelessness, the groups were defined by their strength of character, resilience and hope for the future.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Homeless young people within central and south-western Sydney report varying degrees of food insecurity, despite being supported by specialist youth homelessness services. SO WHAT? A collaborative, multistrategic approach with youth participation is required to further enhance the capacity of youth services to improve food security, food access and the availability of nutritious foods for homeless young people. A greater focus on advocacy and policy action is also required to bring food security and nutrition to the forefront of national efforts to improve the health and welfare of disadvantaged groups.
authors.affiliation: NSW Public Health Officer Training Program, NSW Ministry of Health, Locked Bag 961, North Sydney, NSW 2059, Australia.
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.affiliation: Community Health Service, Sydney Local Health District, Level 9, KGV Building, Missenden Road, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia.
authors.forename: Rowena
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.affiliation: Youth Health Service, South Western Sydney Local Health District, 53-56 Mitchell Street, Carramar, NSW 2163, Australia.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.affiliation: Community Health Service, Sydney Local Health District, Level 9, KGV Building, Missenden Road, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia.
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amanatidis
authors.affiliation: School of Social Sciences and Psychology, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
authors.forename: Jioji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ravulo
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steinbeck
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Level 3 Samuels Building, UNSW Australia, NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Level 3 Samuels Building, UNSW Australia, NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Siranda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Torvaldsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018453:Homeless Youth; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D035862:Vulnerable Populations; D055815:Young Adult