Factors Related to the High Rates of Food Insecurity among Diverse, Urban College Freshmen

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• 作者：Meg Bruening ; PhD ; MPH ; RD ; ^{meg.bruening@asu.edu" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author}Author Vitae ; Stephanie Brennhofer ; MS ; DTRAuthor Vitae ; Irene van Woerden ; MSAuthor Vitae ; Michael Todd ; PhDAuthor Vitae ; Melissa Laska ; PhD ; RDAuthor Vitae
• 关键词：Food insecurity ; College students ; Eating behaviors ; Obesity
• 刊名：Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：September 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：116
• 期：9
• 页码：1450-1457
• 全文大小：220 K

文摘

Food insecurity is a persistent public health concern; however, few studies have examined the factors related to food insecurity among college students, particularly college freshmen living in dormitories.

Objective

Our aim was to examine the prevalence of food insecurity and associations with health outcomes among college freshmen.

Design

A diverse sample of freshmen (n=209) attending a large southwestern university and living in campus residence halls completed online surveys. Anthropometrics were measured by trained staff.

Statistical analyses

Using mixed logistic regression, associations were examined between food insecurity and health outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and clustering of students within residence halls.

Results

Food insecurity was prevalent, with 32% reporting inconsistent access to food in the past month and 37% in the past 3 months. Food-insecure freshmen had higher odds of depression (odds ratio=2.97; 95% CI 1.58 to 5.60) compared to food-secure students. Food-insecure freshmen had significantly lower odds of eating breakfast, consuming home-cooked meals, perceiving their off-campus eating habits to be healthy, and receiving food from parents (P<0.05).

Conclusions

Interventions are needed to support students struggling with food insecurity, as it is related to health outcomes.