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Food insecurity has long been an issue nationwide, however, there has been little emphasis placed on food insecurity among college students. This thesis employed a cross-sectional survey of 1,170 randomly selected undergraduate students, utilizing a variation of the USDA Adult Food Security Survey Module to assess to determine the prevalence of food insecurity among undergraduate students at East Carolina University, and utilized bivariate analysis to assess the relationship between several demographic, academic and lifestyle variables and food insecurity status, as well as the relationship between food insecurity and academic success. The thesis found that food insecurity status is significantly affected by race, first-generation student status, Pell grant eligibility, financial aid use and use of a meal plan, and found that academic performance is negatively impacted by food insecurity. Additionally, this thesis utilized 10 interviews of undergraduate students to assess how current eating and grocery shopping habits and pre-college food security influenced current food security status and assessed how students cope with food insecurity. The study found that students who were food insecure early in life are more likely to be food insecure in college. Finally, this thesis assessed the feelings about and barriers to using the on-campus food pantry at East Carolina University.
The United States is viewed by the world as a country with plenty of food, yet not all households in America are food secure, meaning access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. A proportion of the population experiences food insecurity at some time in a given year because of food deprivation and lack of access to food due to economic resource constraints. Still, food insecurity in the United States is not of the same intensity as in some developing countries. Since 1995 the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has annually published statistics on the extent of food insecurity and food insecurity with hunger in U.S. households. These estimates are based on a survey measure developed by the U.S. Food Security Measurement Project, an ongoing collaboration among federal agencies, academic researchers, and private organizations. USDA requested the Committee on National Statistics of the National Academies to convene a panel of experts to undertake a two-year study in two phases to review at this 10-year mark the concepts and methodology for measuring food insecurity and hunger and the uses of the measure. In Phase 2 of the study the panel was to consider in more depth the issues raised in Phase 1 relating to the concepts and methods used to measure food security and make recommendations as appropriate. The Committee on National Statistics appointed a panel of 10 experts to examine the above issues. In order to provide timely guidance to USDA, the panel issued an interim Phase 1 report, Measuring Food Insecurity and Hunger: Phase 1 Report. That report presented the panel's preliminary assessments of the food security concepts and definitions; the appropriateness of identifying hunger as a severe range of food insecurity in such a survey-based measurement method; questions for measuring these concepts; and the appropriateness of a household survey for regularly monitoring food security in the U.S. population. It provided interim guidance for the continued production of the food security estimates. This final report primarily focuses on the Phase 2 charge. The major findings and conclusions based on the panel's review and deliberations are summarized.
Crutchfield, James Dubick, Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield, Sara Goldrick-Rab, Jordan Herrera, Nicole Hindes, Russell Lowery-Hart, Jennifer J. Maguire, Michael Rosen, Sabrina Sanders, Rachel Sumekh
Background: Food insecurity is defined as the inability to access adequate and nutritious food. There is a relatively small, but growing body of published research on the prevalence of food insecurity among college students, with most studies finding food insecurity prevalence to be higher on college campuses than in states in which studies were conducted. Two published studies at large, public universities in the Southeast found inconsistent rates of food insecurity, 14% and 46%. Objective: To assess rates of food insecurity among college students enrolled in campuses of a large public university system in one state in the Southeastern United States and identify factors that are associated with experiencing food insecurity. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. An online survey was administered to eligible, enrolled students (n=38,586), 5,593 responded (14% response rate). After applying exclusion criteria (freshman standing,
In the United States, 42% of four-year college student veterans are food insecure. The body of literature on food security among veterans and other military-connected people enrolled as students in higher education is limited. Our study purpose was to learn more about food security among military-connected higher education students by: (1) measuring the prevalence of food security on a college campus among the overall student population and veteran/military-connected student population, and (2) gathering qualitative data about barriers to food access and insights on strategies to address food insecurity among military-connected students. In spring 2020, researchers distributed a cross-sectional electronic survey to all students enrolled at a Mountain West university (The University of Wyoming). This survey included demographics and assessed food security using the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form. Of the 1328 student responses, 1287 students responded to the USDA’s Six Item Assessment. Of these, 126 were military-connected students. Following our survey analysis, we conducted two virtual focus groups with military-connected students (n=5, n=3). Transcripts were coded for food insecurity barriers and sentiments about food security. Results showed that 46.7% of survey respondents overall were food insecure with 47.2% of military-connected respondents reporting food insecurity. Three themes emerged in qualitative analysis of focus groups including pride, shame, and military-connection. The perspectives on and emotions about food security among military-connected students may mean that reducing the high food insecurity rate among them may require different strategies and messaging than tackling student food insecurity more generally.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of what food insecurity among college students. Qualitative research regarding food insecurity on college campuses has been growing as we gain a better understanding of how prevalent this issue is and its broad impact on students. However, to our knowledge there are only a handful of studies that examined the student and university staff experience using mixed methods. Qualitative data is needed to gain a deeper understanding of the student experience. OBJECTIVE: To gain deeper insights about students' food insecurity experiences from students themselves and the university staff members who work with them. This insight is necessary to shift university's current policies and approach to helping students experiencing food insecurity and removing the stigma of the "starving student" experience. METHODS: Surveys and interviews were used to collect data from students to gain an understanding of their current living situations and understand their personal experiences accessing food. University staff completed surveys focused on understanding staff's experiences with student food insecurity as well as their attitudes and beliefs about students who experience hunger. RESULTS: The current study found that the financial burden of attending college along with student's food literacy level can contribute to student's food insecurity. Students identified barriers to food access, discussed their perceptions of their food experience, and also discussed who they lean on for support when struggling with food. Student's previous life experiences, food literacy, and social support systems all impact the student food experience. University staff identified similar barriers that they perceive students experience when struggling with hunger and also indicated that they have received little to no training or instruction on how to support students experiencing food insecurity. CONCLUSION: These findings can be used as a building block for developing interventions and the implementation of new resources to help minimize food insecurity on college campuses.
Background: Food insecurity (FI) and its negative relationship with GPA has been thoroughly studied cross-sectionally in college students, but few have considered how FI changes over the course of a semester. Further, many previous studies have used the 6-item USDA short form, which is believed to overestimate food insecurity prevalence in this population. None of the other outcomes, besides academic performance measured via GPA alone, have been analyzed by food security status in college students over time. Aims: This study sought to assess the FI prevalence for 2nd and 3rd year undergraduate students at Penn State's University Park campus and how that prevalence changed over a semester. It also sought to analyze associations between FI status and diet, sleep, mental health and academic outcomes. Methods: Participants (n=79 for phase 1, n=77 for phase 2) completed two surveys, one in October and another in December to reflect on the previous month during Fall 2021. FI was assessed using the 10-item Adult Food Security Survey Module. Diet, sleep, mental health and academic outcomes were assessed via validated questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to report food insecurity prevalence and participant demographics. Within-person differences from phase 1 to phase 2 were also analyzed. An unadjusted analysis revealed whether baseline food security status could predict any of the outcomes of interest. Afterwards an adjusted analysis was performed, controlling for potentially confounding variables identified in previous literature, including gender, race, first generation student status, BMI and family financial support. Results: Participants were primarily white (71.8%), non-Hispanic (96.1%) American young adult women (77.2%). FI prevalence was 26.6% at phase 1 and fell to 22.1% at phase 2, although only 1 participant changed status. An adjusted regression model showed that FI participants were more likely to consume 1/2 cup fewer fruits and vegetables, to have worse overall sleep quality, to have worse stress, depression and anxiety symptoms, and to have worse attention span in class. FI was not associated with self-report or university-report GPA, frequency of missing class or self-report ability to understand class material. In all cases, baseline food insecurity status did not predict outcome changes from phase 1 to phase 2. Conclusion: FI prevalence did not change significantly between phases, but this may be attributable to the timing of Fall break. FI was not significantly predictive of a change in GPA, potentially indicating GPA is not a sensitive enough predictor for change over one semester. Despite our sample being at decreased risk for FI and our use of the 10-item USDA Adult Food Security Survey Module, FI prevalence was still higher than the national household average and within the previously identified range of food insecurity prevalence seen in college students. Additionally, further research is needed to determine why FI students have lower GPAs on average, since there was no difference in missing class or self-reported ability to keep up with material.
Food insecurity is rising among college students and minority groups in the United States. This is closely associated with poor health outcomes, including chronic health risks and poor mental health outcomes. Two key parameters, namely physical access and affordability have been commonly employed for assessing food insecurity by various institutions and researchers. While the food security is assessed for US populations and hinged upon measuring access to healthy and nutritious foods, food security among international students is difficult to comprehend. Moreover, perceptions and experiences of food access for international students does not encompass access to healthy and culturally appropriate foods. Therefore, if international students cannot access healthy and culturally appropriate foods, they are more likely to be food insecure and therefore, suffer from poor health and behavioral outcomes.The aim of this study is to explore perceived access to healthy and culturally appropriate foods for South Asian students that mitigate their food related health risk. The main research question examines if international students experience poor health and behavioral outcomes due to food inaccessibility than domestic students. Three hypotheses were tested to investigate the main research question. The first hypothesis is that international students perceive greater food inaccessibility than domestic students. The second hypothesis is that international students perceive greater food insecurity due to food inaccessibility than domestic students. The third hypothesis is that international students perceive poor health and behavior outcomes due to food insecurity than domestic students. Using mixed-methods research approach, quantitative assessment (n = 427) was supplemented with qualitative-thematic coding to understand the perceptions of accessing healthy and culturally appropriate foods for Indian students (n = 88) which formed the majority of the sample population (77%). Additionally, to comprehend the local-level access to foods, built area analysis (n = 53) was conducted for one university in the Midwest (with the maximum responses) to explore the experiences of accessing healthy and culturally appropriate foods and the parameters of the modes of transit (mode of transportation, frequency of trips, travel time).The quantitative assessment utilized chi-square test for hypothesis one and two and logistic regression for the third hypothesis. The affirmation of all three hypotheses showed that access is a critical aspect in assessing food security/insecurity and in turn, good health and behavior outcomes for international students studying in the US universities. The qualitative assessment was based on interviews (n = 88) and food journal responses (n = 87). This method illustrates two important factors. First, the key definition for culturally appropriate foods emerged from interviews and second, acceptability to healthy and culturally appropriate foods was most preferred among interviewees. However, it was ranked lower in all other dimensions of access, i.e., accessibility, accommodation, availability, and affordability. The built area analysis (n = 53) helped in understanding the local level assessment of the food environment of one university. The study concludes with recommendations on improving access to healthy and culturally appropriate foods through interventions at local planning level in three area- zoning, mobility, and governance.