Date of Award

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health

Department

Health Science and Human Ecology

First Reader/Committee Chair

Becerra, Monideepa

Abstract

Background: Food insecurity is lack of access to proper nutrition for an individual to obtain a healthy lifestyle. The goal of this research is to determine the frequency of food insecurity among college students at a four-year college institution during COVID-19 pandemic in association to mental and physical health status.

Methods: This study was conducted among college students using cross-sectional study method. All data were collection virtually and kept anonymous. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 28 with (p<.05), denoting significance.

Results: In the study there were a total of 98 participants who were being analyzed. All the participants were 18 years of age or older taking a part in this study, which resulted as preliminary for these college students by demonstrate that there was no significant association between the food insecurity with physical and mental health status during the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary variables of interest in this study were: food insecurity, general mental health status, and general physical health status during the pandemic. Prevalence of study participants who reported 34.7%, state sometime true that food they bought did not last and they did not have money to get more. Whereas 30.6% study participants who reported that they could not afford to eat balanced meals within the last 12 months. Participants in the study also report that in the last 12 months they or any other adults in their household had ever cut the size of their meals or skipped meals because there was not enough money for food. In the study about 19.4% states, they were very hungry but did not eat because there was not enough money for food. Financial hardship was a primary reason why participants were food insecure and could not afford to have a proper nutrition in-take.

Conclusion: Results highlight the importance public health efforts on prevalence of food insecurity among college students during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

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