Comparisons of Cooking, Dietary, and Food Safety Characteristics of Food Secure and Food Insecure Sophomores at a University in Appalachia

Abstract

Introduction Food insecurity means lacking access to adequate, nutritious, and safe food. Collegiate food insecurity rates at ten Appalachian campuses range from 22.4% to 51.8% and have been associated with unfavorable health and academic outcomes. Purpose This study compared cooking, dietary, and food safety characteristics of food secure (FS) and food insecure (FI) sophomores at a university in Appalachia in the context of the USDA definition of food security. Methods Data were collected using an online questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential procedures compared FS and FI sophomores (p < 0.05). Results Participants (n = 226) were 65.0% females, 76.1% whites, and 46% FI. About 40% of on-campus and 50% of off-campus residents were FI, and 70% of FI students reported needing help accessing food. Cooking was undertaken “less often” by 61.5% of FS and 55.8% of FI sophomores. Mean cooking self-efficacy scores for FS and FI students were 44.9, vs 43.4, (p > 0.05) out of 52 points. Grains were consumed most often by 40% of FS and FI students and vegetables were consumed least often by 70% of both groups. Mean food safety test scores for FS and FI students were 6.2 1.60 vs 6.6 1.52 (p > 0.05) out of 11 points. Requested educational activities included making a budget and planning balanced meals. Implications The high rate of food insecurity reflects an ongoing need among sophomores for campus and community food assistance and for educational activities that teach purchasing and preparation of affordable, healthy and safe foods.

Methods for Assessing Health Outcomes Associated with Food Insecurity in the United States College Student Population: A Narrative Review

“…The majority of research studies exploring FI and physiological health outcomes in college students are cross-sectional study designs that implement a variety of questionnaires to assess various components of health. Self-rated health status is frequently assessed using a Likert scale ranking of excellent, good, fair, or poor [ [22] , [23] , [24] , [25] , [26] , [27] , [28] , [29] , [30] , [31] , [32] , [33] , [34] , [35] , [36] , [37] , [38] , [39] ]. Compared to food secure (FS) peers, students experiencing FI had significantly poorer overall general health rankings [ [22] , [23] , [24] , [25] , [26] , [27] , [28] , [29] , [30] , [31] , [32] , [33] , [34] , [35] , [36] , [37] , [38] , [39] ] ( Table 1 ).…”

“…Anthropometrics: self-reported BMI 1. No Δ in BMI Boone et al., 2021 [ 39 ] 226 Appalachian State University Female: 65% Non-White: 23.9% FI: 46% 10-item 1. General health 2.…”

“…The experience of FI is negatively associated with structured daily mealtimes, such as skipping breakfast or consuming only 1 meal/d [ 48 ]. College students who experience FI are more likely to report decreased intake of fruits and vegetables, which may result in inadequate fiber intake and a multitude of vitamins and minerals [ 22 , 29 , 39 , [48] , [49] , [50] , [51] , [52] , [53] , [54] , [55] ]. In the college student population, research exploring the relationship between FI and dietary intake has only consisted of subjective dietary and beverage assessment methods, such as Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) [ 29 ], National Cancer Institute (NCI) Dietary Screener Questionnaire [ [48] , [49] , [50] , [51] ], Automated Self-Administered 24-h Dietary Assessment Tool [ 56 , 57 ], All Day Fruit and Vegetable Screener [ 34 ], the Food Intention Scale in the FLASHE (Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating) survey [ 53 ], Healthy Eating Index scores [ 52 , 57 ], renditions of a self-reported fruit and vegetable intake questionnaire [ 22 , 36 , 54 , 55 , 58 ], and the Beverage Intake Questionnaire-15 [ 34 , 51 ].…”

“…Weight status, as it relates to nutritional adequacy, is often overlooked, as it is presumed that being overweight or obese corresponds to overnutrition of all nutrients [ 73 ]. In the experience of FI, a strategy for satiation is to consume calorically dense foods, thus often exceeding nutrient recommendations for added sugars, fat, and sodium, leading to an increased risk for overweight and obesity [ 22 , 25 , 28 , 29 , 33 , 39 , 49 , 50 , 75 ]. To assess the role of FI on body composition in college students, height and weight, along with abdominal and waist circumference, are either self-reported or collected by a trained researcher.…”