Food security status among college students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate food insecurity among college students at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (UHM). Objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of food insecurity and the predictors and consequences of food insecurity among UHM students. A survey was conducted among non-freshmen, classified students from randomly selected classes. The survey included questions on food security, demographic determinants, spending patterns, dietary data, lifestyle characteristics, and health determinants. Twenty one percent of the students surveyed were food insecure, while 24% were marginally food secure or at risk of food insecurity. Results show that the sociodemographic factors contributing to food insecurity among UHM students include living on campus, living off-campus with roommates, being Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Filipino, and mixed (two or more ethnicities), and being new in Hawai'i. Only the amount of money spent on eating out and on total food, combining groceries and eating out expenditures, was statistically significantly different between the food secure and the insecure. Food insecurity among UHM students seemed to be affecting their dietary intake, as well as their perceived health status and energy level.