Title:

Food Insecurity as a Predictive Measure for Negative Health Outcomes in College Students

Food Insecurity as a Predictive Measure for Negative Health Outcomes in College Students Nicholas Clarke, BS, Jesse Stabile Morrell, PhD, Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems, University of New Hampshire Background: Food Insecurity (FI) is defined as having insufficient or uncertain access to nutritious food. Research in the US college-aged population is inconclusive and inconsistent. Beyond raising cardiovascular disease risk, FI is also correlated with higher perceived stress and lower grade point averages. It’s important to understand the implications of FI in this population because college is a critical time for solidifying long-term behavioral habits that mediate disease risk. Objective: To highlight the correlation between food insecurity and four adverse health factors in college students, including cardiovascular disease risk, perceived stress, overall life satisfaction, and diet quality. Study Design, Settings, Participants: Data were collected between 2018-2023 from the College Health and Nutrition Assessment Survey; an ongoing, cross-sectional study conducted at a midsized, northeastern university. Measurable Outcome/Analysis: FI status, perceived stress, and satisfaction with life were self-reported via an online questionnaire. Anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical measures were collected after overnight fast to characterize metabolic syndrome (MetS) criteria. Diet quality was evaluated by a modified Healthy Eating Index calculated from 3-day food records and analyzed via online nutrient analysis. FI was categorized into four levels based on USDA guidelines (high, marginal, low, and very low food security). Values for the four health factors were scored (1-4) by organizing data into quartiles then summed to receive a total Health and Wellness Score (HWS, 0-32). ANOVA was used to evaluate differences in mean HWS between 4 groups of FI; Tukey’s HSD evaluated inter-group differences in HWS. Results: After exclusion for missing data, the final sample (n=1,051) was 65.8% female and 93.3% white. Overall, 14.2% reported FI. The mean HWS was 22.923.71. Those with High Food Security had greater HWS than the FI groups (23.283.70 vs. 22.403.40, 21.883.41, 20.444.18, respectively, p<.05); similarly, those with Marginal Food Security had higher HWS than those with Very Low Food Security (22.403.40 vs. 20.444.18, p<.05). Conclusions: Overall health status defined in the HWS metric was shown to decrease as students become less food secure. Data suggests the impact of FI on college students’ overall well-being is multi-factorial and supports the need for broad screening of FI-status on college campuses, along with comprehensive interventions. Funding: Funded by New Hampshire Agricultural experiment Station, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Project 1010738, and the state of New Hampshire.

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