Sources and Frequency of Meals Among Homeless People in France: Analysis of Data from the “Sans-domicile 2012” Survey.

Introduction: Among people living in precarious circumstances, difficulties in accessing food—which stem from a variety of causes—often go hand in hand with difficulties in accessing housing. Drawing on data from the “Sans-domicile 2012” survey, the objective of this study was to describe the source and frequency of meals among homeless people in France in 2012, as well as the factors associated with the frequency of their meals. Method: This survey was conducted using face-to-face questionnaires administered to a random sample of 4,419 homeless individuals. Data on food intake were derived from a weekly food diary detailing the frequency and types of meals consumed, as well as the locations where the individual had eaten breakfast, lunch, and dinner for every day of the week preceding the survey. Analyses, conducted on weighted data to account for the frequency of use of different types of services, describe the sources and frequency of food procurement. The association between meal frequency and sociodemographic variables was analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. Results: The analysis shows that 68.0% of the surveyed population reported having eaten 3 meals a day every day of the week preceding the survey; 20.0% reported having eaten 2 or 3 meals a day depending on the day; 10.0% reported a variable number of meals, ranging from 1 to 3 per day depending on the day, while 2.0% had gone at least one full day without eating. The majority of meals were eaten at the person’s place of residence and/or as part of free food distributions. Meal frequency was associated with various sociodemographic characteristics (age, family status, educational level), with type of shelter being the most strongly associated factor. Conclusion: This study highlights the links between housing, origin, and meal frequency among homeless people in France and underscores the importance of support systems and assistance structures in ensuring access to food for the most vulnerable.

Author(s): Verdot C, Salanave B, Deschamps V, Castetbon K

Publishing year: 2015

Pages: 670-8

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2015, n° 36-37, p. 670-8

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