Fourteenth International Conference on Food Studies

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. Data are from a national sample of college students from the Spring 2021 National College Health Assessment II (NCHAII) and include descriptive and correlative analyses. The sample includes 137 schools and 96,489 students. Questions asked 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. Respondents were 65.7% female, 73.1% were undergraduate, 89.2% were full-time, and 59.3% White. Overall, 33.8% of students in the sample stated that it was sometimes true or often true that the food they bought didn’t last, 35% stated they couldn’t afford balanced meals, and 13.3% stated they were hungry but didn’t eat. Additional analyses will explore the relationship between FI and Body Mass Index, enrollment status, and degree level. 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.