Literature Review #1

 

LA Johnson/NPR

"Prevalence and Correlates of Food Insecurity among U.S. College Students: A Multi-Institutional Study" by Aseel El Zein, Karla P. Shelnutt, Sarah Colby, Melissa J. Vilaro, Wenjun Zhou, Geoffrey Greene, Melissa D. Olfert, Kristin Riggsbee, Jesse Stabile Morrell, and Anne E. Matthews

Citation:

Zein, Aseel, et al. "Prevalence and Correlates of Food Insecurity among U.S. College Students: A Multi-Institutional Study." BMC Public Health, vol. 19, 2019. ProQuest, https://login.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/login?url= ?url=https://www-proquest-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/scholarly-journals/prevalence-correlates-food-insecurity-among-u-s/docview/2243537991/se-2?accountid=13626, doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/10.1186/s12889-019-6943-6.

Summary:

The article discusses how limited financial resources, decreased buying power of federal aid, and rising costs of tuition, food, and housing have made college students vulnerable to food insecurity. The study performed by the authors evaluated the prevalence of food insecurity among first-year college students and how it relates to sociodemographics, health, academics, and food pantries. The results revealed that food insecurity among first-year students is widespread and impacts their health and academic performance. They argue that colleges and universities should screen for food insecurity in their students and implement policies and programs to promote a healthier college experience. They mention the usefulness of food pantries in the short-term but suggest that more solutions are needed due to their limited use by students.

Authors:

Aseel El Zein

• She is earning her PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Florida. She has published various pieces on the impact of food insecurity on the health and education/grades of college students. In 2020, she received the Healthline and Feeding America Stronger Scholarship award for her impact in the area of food insecurity, hunger, and nutrition.

Karla P. Shelnutt

• She has a PhD in Food Science and Human Nutrition with a concentration in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Florida and is an Associate Professor and Extension Nutrition Specialist at the university.

Sarah Colby

• She earned a PhD in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Melissa J. Vilaro

• She has a PhD in Public Health and Master of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences from the University of Florida. From June 2014 to July 2018, she served as a Postdoctoral Associate at UF’s Food Science and Human Nutrition Department.

Wenjun Zhou

• She earned a Master of Science degree in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan and a PhD in Management Science and Information Systems from Rutgers Business School. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and has taught various courses related to statistics and analytics.

Geoffrey Greene

• He has a PhD in Nutrition from The Pennsylvania State University. He is a Professor, Dietetic Internship Director, and Department Chairmember in the Nutrition and Food Sciences Department at the University of Rhode Island.

Melissa D. Olfert

• She has a DrPH degree in Preventative Care of Chronic Disease with an emphasis in Clinical Nutrition from Loma Linda University. She is an Associate Professor of Human Nutrition and Foods at West Virginia University.

Kristin Riggsbee

• She has a PhD in Nutritional Sciences and Community Nutrition from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has worked at Maryville College since August 2016, first serving as an Adjunct Faculty Member and now serving as a Visiting Lecturer.

Jesse Stabile Morrell

• She received a MS and PhD in Animal & Nutritional Sciences from the University of New Hampshire. She works at UNH as a Principal Lecturer for the Nutrition Program.

Anne E. Matthews

• She earned a MS in Food and Nutrition from the University of Georgia and a PhD in Health and Physical Activity from the University of Pittsburgh. She is an Associate Professor in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department of the University of Florida.

Key Terms:

Food insecurity- a lack of consistent and/or sufficient access to nutritious, safe, acceptable foods caused by a lack of financial resources

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Adult Food Security Survey Module (AFSSM)- a set of questions that measures several conditions and behaviors related to food insecurity, such as anxiety over food supply, reduced quantity and quality of food eaten, and meal skipping due to a lack of financial resources to acquire food

Quotes:

“College students may be vulnerable to food insecurity due to limited financial resources, decreased buying power of federal aid, and rising costs of tuition, housing, and food” (El Zein et al.)

“Food-insecure students reported higher perceived stress, a greater prevalence of disordered eating behaviors, and poorer sleep quality compared to food-secure students” (El Zein et al.)

“the proportion of students who identified as Black or Hispanic/Latino was greater among food-insecure than food-secure students, and a greater proportion of food-insecure students reported having a parent with a high school degree or less. Findings also indicated that students residing off-campus, receiving a Pell grant, or not enrolled in a meal plan were significantly more likely to be food-insecure than their counterparts” (El Zein et al.)

Value

This source will be valuable to my research because it describes why students experience food insecurity, the prevalence of food insecurity, what demographics/characteristics increase a student’s risk, and the impact that it has on students’ education and health. It talks about food pantries, specifically their use and awareness by students, and what can be done to help food-insecure students. This piece can also serve as a good starting point for deeper, more specific research.