Food insecurity is common among college students in the United States and is associated with poorer health-related outcomes and academic performance. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of food insecurity at a large, public university in Mississippi, a state with the second highest rate of food insecurity in the nation, and to examine the associations between food insecurity, depression, and race in this group of students. Food security was measured using the United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form, and depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. In total, 131 students ages 18–24 participated in the study. Food insecurity was present in 38.2% of students surveyed. The odds of food insecurity were higher among African American students compared to Caucasian students (OR = 3.50, 95% CI: 1.38, 8.90). Students with very low food security had 4.52-times greater odds of having depression than food-secure students (p = 0.011, 95% CI: 1.42, 14.36). Neither body mass index nor body fat percentage were associated with food security status. Further research is needed on strategies to address the risk of depression among food-insecure college students and the racial disparity in food insecurity rates present among college students.

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Background. Different taste preferences correlated with genetic variations may lead to food consumption patterns that contribute to nutrient-related health outcomes such as hypertension. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the salt taste receptor genes SCNN1B and TRPV1 affect salt taste perception among normotensive and hypertensive people. Materials and Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional case control study by design consisting of a normotensive and hypertensive group. Participants were 253 adults with age range of 20–82 residing in Mississippi, USA. For each of 128 normotensives and 125 hypertensives, the salt taste recognition threshold and salt taste receptor genotype were determined. Results. The hypertensive group had a higher salt taste recognition threshold than the normotensive group ( P < 0.001 ). The polymorphism of TRPV1, rs4790522, with the AA genotype was associated with a higher salt recognition threshold (lower salt taste sensitivity) in people with hypertension and obesity. Moreover, the polymorphism of TRPV1, rs8065080, and SCNN1B, rs239345, genes were associated with a risk of hypertension ( P = 0.016 and P = 0.024 ). Conclusion. Correlations between SNPs, salt taste sensitivity, and hypertension risk were observed. People with hypertension had a higher salt taste threshold than those with normotension.

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Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between sugar and NNS consumption with body fat percentage in young adults. Methods: 524 college students were asked to complete the Web-based National Institutes of Health (NIH) Diet History Questionnaire II and had their body fat percentage measured using a bioelectrical impedance analysis scale. Result: One-fourth of the participants were classified as overfat/obese and of those overfat or obese, 49% of them were African American. Overfat/obese participants consumed significantly more sugar than the heathy group and the underfat group (p < 0.001). Saccharin consumption was significantly higher in the overfat/obese group compare to the underfat and normal groups (p < 0.001). The odds of becoming overfat/obese increased 1.2 times for excessive total sugar consumption (95% CI: 1.0-1.8, p < 0.05). Conclusion:Excessive sugar and saccharin consumption were associated with higher body fat percentage in young adults.