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Associations between Food Security Status and Diet-Related Outcomes among Students at a Large, Public Midwestern University.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Food insecurity is a growing issue of concern on college campuses. While many studies have focused on predictors of food insecurity, fewer studies have examined how food insecurity affects diet and diet-related outcomes among college students. OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to examine differences in dietary intake, food and cooking agency, and body mass index (calculated as kg/m2) by food security status in a sample of college students at a large, public midwestern university. DESIGN:We conducted a cross-sectional online survey administered from March to June 2018. PARTICIPANTS:Students were recruited from a random sample (n=2,000) provided by the university, which included an oversample of minority racial/ethnic students from lower-income households and first-generation students. The response rate was 43% (n=851). After excluding students with missing data, the final sample was 754 enrolled students. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Food security status was measured using the US Adult Food Security Survey Module. Dietary intake was assessed using the National Cancer Institute dietary screener questionnaire. Cooking and food agency was measured using the Cooking and Food Provisioning Action Scale, a new validated questionnaire. Body mass index was calculated from self-reported height and weight. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS PERFORMED:Differences between food security categories and diet-related outcomes were examined using generalized linear models. Models adjusted for sociodemographic covariates, such as student's age, sex, race/ethnicity, and receipt of financial aid. RESULTS:Compared to students with high food security, low food security was associated with lower intake of fruits, and very low food security was associated with higher intakes of total added sugar and added sugar from sugar-sweetened beverages. Marginal and very low food security were positively associated with body mass index. Marginal, low, and very low food security were inversely associated with cooking and food agency. CONCLUSIONS:Students with food insecurity experience diet-related challenges that could translate into health disparities over time. More research is needed to understand the longitudinal effects of food insecurity on student health and well being.

SUBMITTER: Leung CW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6768082 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Associations between Food Security Status and Diet-Related Outcomes among Students at a Large, Public Midwestern University.

Leung Cindy W CW Wolfson Julia A JA Lahne Jacob J Barry Mikayla R MR Kasper Nicole N Cohen Alicia J AJ

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 20191001 10

<h4>Background</h4>Food insecurity is a growing issue of concern on college campuses. While many studies have focused on predictors of food insecurity, fewer studies have examined how food insecurity affects diet and diet-related outcomes among college students.<h4>Objective</h4>The objective of this study was to examine differences in dietary intake, food and cooking agency, and body mass index (calculated as kg/m<sup>2</sup>) by food security status in a sample of college students at a large, ...[more]

PMID: 31561811

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Project description:BackgroundFood insecurity, a state of not being able to consistently access nutritious food due to financial constraints, has been associated with poor dietary intake among college students. The extent to which campus food resources contribute to this association is unknown.ObjectivesThis study examined the association between food insecurity and dietary intake in a sample of undergraduate students with unlimited meal plans and dining hall access at a large, public Midwestern university.DesignThe study design is cross-sectional. The data used are baseline data from a broader sugar-sweetened beverage intervention study that were collected using a Qualtrics survey prior to the intervention.Participants/settingThe sample consisted of 1033 undergraduate students recruited from 3 dining halls. The data were collected in November 2018.Main outcome measuresFood security was assessed using the 6-item Short Form Food Security Survey Module. Dietary intake was assessed using the National Cancer Institute 26-item Dietary Screener Questionnaire and the Beverage Intake Questionnaire-15.Statistical analyses performedGeneralized linear regression models were used to examine differences in dietary intake by students' food security status, adjusting for students' sociodemographic characteristics.ResultsIn the sample, 14% of students were food-insecure. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, food-insecure students reported 9% lower intake of fruits (P = 0.02), 9% lower intake of vegetables (P < 0.001), 10% higher intake of dairy (P = 0.002), 6% higher intake of total added sugars (P = 0.01), 10% higher intake of added sugars from sugar-sweetened beverages (P = 0.01), 4% higher intake of calcium (P = 0.01), and 4% lower intake of fiber (P = 0.01) compared with food-secure students. With respect to beverage intake, food-insecure students had 56% higher intake of total sugar-sweetened beverages (P = 0.002), which was driven by 185% higher intake of energy and sports drinks (P = 0.001), and 121% higher intake of sweetened teas (P = 0.001).ConclusionsDespite having identical food resources within campus dining halls, there were significant differences in the diets of college students by food security status.

Project description:BackgroundHome food procurement (HFP) (i.e. gardening, fishing, foraging, hunting, backyard livestock and canning) have historically been important ways that people obtain food. Recently, some HFP activities have grown (e.g. gardening), while other activities (e.g. hunting) have become less common in the United States. Anecdotally, COVID-19 has sparked an increase in HFP evidenced by increased hunting licenses and shortages in seeds and canning supplies. HFP may have positive benefits for food security and diet quality, though research beyond gardening is especially limited in high-income countries.MethodsWe examine HFP activities since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and their relationship to food security and dietary quality using multivariable logit models and matching analysis with a statewide representative survey (n = 600) of residents of Vermont, United States.ResultsWe find 29% of respondent households classified as food insecure since COVID-19, and higher prevalence of food insecurity among those experiencing a negative job change since COVID-19, households earning less than $50,000 annually, Hispanic and multi-race respondents. Nearly 35% of respondents engaged in HFP activities since the COVID-19 pandemic began; the majority of those gardened, and more than half pursued HFP activities more intensely than before the pandemic or for the first time. Food insecure households were more likely to pursue HFP more intensely, including more gardening, fishing, foraging, and hunting. Respondents who were food insecure, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, those with a negative job disruption, and larger households all had greater odds of increased intensity of HFP during the COVID-19 pandemic. HFP was significantly associated with eating greater amounts of fruits and vegetables; however, this effect was only significant for food secure households.ConclusionOverall, these results suggest that HFP activities have increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and may be an important safety net for food insecure households. However, HFP for food insecure households does not translate into the same higher fruit and vegetable intake as found among food secure HFP households, suggesting this population may be trying to maintain intake, or that they may have potential important resource or technical assistance needs. Long-term, HFP activities may have important food security and diet quality impacts, as well as conservation implications, which should be more thoroughly explored. Regardless, the increased interest and intensity of HFP demonstrates opportunities for educational and outreach efforts.

Dataset Information

Associations between Food Security Status and Diet-Related Outcomes among Students at a Large, Public Midwestern University.

Publications

Associations between Food Security Status and Diet-Related Outcomes among Students at a Large, Public Midwestern University.

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