Insufficient access to food is known to compromise tertiary studies. Students often belong to groups known to have poor food security such as those renting or relying on government payments. The present study administered a cross-sectional survey incorporating the USDA food security survey module (FSSM) to 810 students at a metropolitan university in Brisbane, Australia. One in four students indicated they were food insecure, this being double that previously reported for tertiary students and five times that previously reported for the general population. Factors associated with food insecurity included low income, reliance on government support and renting. Students from food insecure households were twice as likely to report only fair or poor general health and three times as likely to have deferred their studies due to financial difficulties. Further, at least 80 % of these students reported that their studies were compromised. Strategies to alleviate food insecurity among students could improve retention rates and educational outcomes.

Food insecurity : is it an issue among tertiary students

Food insecurity is a global phenomenon which impacts a variety of social, economic, and life-stage groups. One such group affected by food insecurity is college students, who tend to experience food insecurity at a prevalence which exceeds the average of their local communities. The impacts of food insecurity in this population are multifaceted and have implications for their college experience and beyond. Food insecurity has been observed to have negative effects on college student academic performance, physical health, and mental health. This review explores the impacts of and solutions for food insecurity in this population globally, with particular emphasis on the United States, and specifically California.

/pdf/food-insecurity-in-higher-education-a-contemporary-review-of-3en37xwy.pdf

Food Insecurity in Higher Education: A Contemporary Review of Impacts and Explorations of Solutions

The COVID-19 pandemic and related disruptions have not only affected university students’ learning and academic outcomes, but also other issues, such as food security status, mental health and employment. In Australia, international students faced additional pressures due to sudden border closures and lack of eligibility for government-provided financial support. This study explored the experiences of domestic and international university students residing in Australia during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic across a range of outcomes. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between July and September 2020 at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. The online survey included food insecurity status, mental health (psychological distress), disruptions to study, employment and sleep. A total of 105 students (n = 66 domestic and n = 39 international) completed the survey. Respondents reported having food insecurity (41.9%) and psychological distress (52.2%, with high and very high levels), with international students reporting significantly higher food insecurity (OR = 9.86 (95% CI 3.9–24.8), p < 0.001) and psychological distress scores (t(90) = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.30 to 8.81, p = 0.009) than domestic students. About one quarter of all respondents reported disruptions to study and employment status around the time of the survey. When asked what government support should be provided for international students, ‘financial aid’ was the most frequently suggested form of support. This research may help governments and educational institutions design appropriate support, particularly financial and psychological, for both international and domestic university students.

/pdf/higher-prevalence-of-food-insecurity-and-psychological-2gmolvkr.pdf

Higher Prevalence of Food Insecurity and Psychological Distress among International University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Australian Perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted college students' lifestyles and placed them at a greater risk of obesity and food insecurity. The purpose of the systematic review was to consolidate evidence for the effect of Covid-19 on students' dietary quality, dietary habits, body weight and food security status. A comprehensive literature search was conducted utilising various databases including Google Scholar, MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Embase and Scopus to identify relevant studies. To be incorporated in this review, studies had to include higher education students, measure the prevalence of food insecurity and assess the dietary and body weight changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The studies showed that the diet quality of college students was compromised during the pandemic in many nations due to the decrease in the intake of whole grains, dairy products, legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables and the increase in consumption of alcohol, confectionery products and refined grains. There was an increase in the frequency of cooking, binge eating, breakfast skipping and unhealthy snacking. These modifications, in return, were associated with body weight changes, with no less than 20 to 30 % of students gaining weight during the pandemic. The pandemic also impacted food security status of students, with over 30% being food insecure worldwide. The COVID-19 outbreak has exacerbated the students' diet quality and dietary habits and placed them under high risk of weight gain and food insecurity. Higher education institutions and governments should improve students' access to nutritious foods and incorporate nutrition education interventions in the curricula. 

Effect of COVID-19 outbreak on the diet, body weight and food security status of students of higher education: a systematic review

Abstract Background and objectives It is well documented that college student populations are vulnerable to food insecurity and other adverse environmental conditions. Additionally, exposure to environmental adversity can have deleterious, long-term effects on physical and mental health. This study applies evolutionary life history theory to examine the relationship between environmental adversity, mental distress and diet among resource insecure university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology Structured and semi-structured surveys were used to assess perceptions of environmental adversity (including mortality risk, food insecurity and resource availability; and changes in these factors over the course of COVID-19), mental distress, diet and use of campus support services. Participants included 51 college students recruited through an economic crisis center located at a large public university in southern California. Results Most students were experiencing mental distress and food insecurity, and food insecurity and other components of adversity increased during COVID-19. Food insecurity was significantly associated with both perceived extrinsic mortality risk and mental distress, whereas mental distress was significantly associated with reduced dietary quality and caloric intake. Use of two or more campus support resources and/or living with family or rent free disrupted the associations of food insecurity with extrinsic mortality risk and mental distress. Conclusion and Implication This study contributes to a growing body of applied evolutionary frameworks concerned with the health and wellbeing of economically vulnerable populations. It also provides novel insights informed by life history theory into interventions and recommendations for improving support services for financially insecure college students.

https://academic.oup.com/emph/article-pdf/11/1/18/49254608/eoad001.pdf

Food insecurity, diet and mental distress among resource insecure students during COVID-19

Purpose: Food insecurity and poor access to healthy food is known to compromise tertiary
studies in university students, and food choices are linked to student perceptions of the
campus food environment. This study aims to describe the prevalence, demographic and
education characteristics associated with food insecurity in a sample of Australian university
students, and their satisfaction with on-campus food choices. Design/methodology/approach: An online, cross-sectional survey conducted as part of the biannual sustainability themed survey was conducted at the University of Tasmania in March
2020. A single-item measure was used to assess food insecurity in addition to six
demographic and education characteristics, and four questions about the availability of food,
affordable food, sustainable food and local food on campus. Findings: Survey data (n=1,858) were analysed using bivariate analyses and multivariate
binary logistic regression. Thirty-eight percent of respondents (70% female; 80% domestic
student; 42% aged 18-24 years) were food insecure. Overall, 41% of students were satisfied
with the food available on campus. Nearly half (47%) of food insecure students were
dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the availability of affordable food on campus. A minority
of students were satisfied with the availability of sustainable food (37%) and local food
(33%) on campus. Originality: These findings demonstrate a high prevalence of food insecurity and deficits in
the university food environment, which can inform the development of strategies to improve
the food available on campus, including affordable, sustainable, and local options.

/pdf/prevalence-of-food-insecurity-and-satisfaction-with-on-34v52nx7f3.pdf

Prevalence of food insecurity and satisfaction with on-campus food choices among Australian university students

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Prevalence of food insecurity and satisfaction with on-campus food choices among Australian university students