| dc.description.abstract | College students experience nutritional insecurity at higher rates when compared to the general public. Compounding social, financial, community, and policy barriers limit the ability of college students to access healthy, palatable foods in adequate amounts for an active lifestyle. Recent literature, national societies, and healthcare entities have begun to highlight this concerning public health issue, yet literature has not fully explored or agreed upon the specific causes, exact prevalence, and implications of having limited food availability. Additionally, a greater understanding and awareness of this social determinant of health is required to facilitate and identify health promotion needs among this population for nurse practitioners and healthcare providers.
The purpose of this project was to examine the prevalence and associated risk factors for nutritional insecurity among the college student population. The project also aimed to provide recommendations to the university and healthcare communities for improving access to food in order to facilitate improved health outcomes for these individuals. Quantitative survey questions including demographics and a validated nutritional insecurity survey, as well as qualitative, open-ended survey questions regarding personal barriers and the pandemic were distributed to all students who took classes through the university in the Fall 2020 semester.
Six hundred forty-five students completed the survey; 539 responses were utilized for analysis following completion review. The nutritional insecurity prevalence rate among this university was 19.85%. Risk factors associated with nutritional insecurity appeared to be enrollment in an upper-grade level, living off-campus, not purchasing a meal plan, low-income status, part-time employment, and being of Black or African American or Asian ethnicity. Lower grade point average and poorer physical and mental health outcomes appeared to correlate with high nutritional insecurity scores. Multiple barriers to accessing food were identified including financial, transportation, knowledge, healthy options, storage, and preparation limitations. Pandemic effects and societal beliefs and policies also appeared to have negative consequences to accessing healthy food.
Study findings highlight the significant educational, physical and mental health implications college students face when experiencing nutritional insecurity. Campus, healthcare, and community personnel should recognize the increased risk and negative outcomes of nutritional insecurity among college students. | en_US |
