Abstract
Food insecurity (FI) is a significant issue among college students in the United States. College students frequently have major financial responsibilities including tuition and fees, housing, etc., which can lead to issues acquiring essentials such as food and/or obtaining high quality, nutritious options. The purpose of this research is to describe the rates of food insecurity among college students in the United States in 2021 and 2024. Data are from a national sample of college students from the Spring 2021 and Spring 2024 National College Health Assessment III (NCHAIII) and include descriptive, correlative analyses, and independent samples t-tests comparing 2021 to 2024. Questions include whether they could afford to eat balanced meals, if they ever had to skip meals, or were ever hungry because there was not enough money for food. Analyses explore the relationship between FI and Body Mass Index, enrollment status, and degree level, international status, as well as other subgroups. The results of the study may inform the inclusion of college programs aimed at helping students reduce FI on college campuses, enabling students to focus on academic achievement.
Presenters
Andrea M. BraceAssociate Professor, Director, Public Health, Fairleigh Dickenson University, New Jersey, United States Sarah Napper
Auburn University at Montgomery Diadrey-Anne Sealy
Assistant Professor, Loma Linda University Todd Matthews
Associate Professor and Department Chair, Sociology, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Sacred Heart University, CT, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
College Students, Food Insecurity, National College Health Assessment
