Assessing the relationship between food insecurity and lifestyle behaviors among university students: a comparative study between Lebanon and Germany

Abstract

Background Food insecurity is a common public health problem in both developed and developing countries. This study aimed to profile food insecurity among university students in a developed country with stable economic circumstances (Germany) and a developing Mediterranean country undergoing a severe economic and financial crisis (Lebanon) and examine the associations between food insecurity and lifestyle behaviors (i.e., physical activity, sleep, and adherence to a healthy eating pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet), stress, and financial well-being. Method This online cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2021 and March 2022. Subjects were recruited through social media platforms (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and personal email) and in-class announcements by several university professors of various majors and from different universities in Lebanon and Germany. The final sample included 547 participants (197 from Lebanon and 350 from Germany). Results Our findings showed a higher food insecurity rate in Lebanon compared with Germany (59% versus 33%). In the bivariate analysis, food insecurity was associated with insomnia (r = 0.230; p < 0.001) and stress (r = 0.225; p = 0.001); German university students had higher physical activity (p < 0.001), better diet quality (p < 0.001), and lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet (p < 0001) than Lebanese students. In the multivariable analyses, more stress was related to insomnia (B = 0.178; p < 0.001), while financial well-being was not associated with any of the lifestyle behaviors. Physical activity, insomnia, and Mediterranean diet adherence were not associated with the country or food insecurity (p > 0.05); however, living in Germany was associated with better diet quality (B = -7.85; p < 0.001). Conclusion The high prevalence of food insecurity reported in this study is alarming, particularly among Lebanese students; German students had better diet quality and higher physical activity but worse adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Moreover, food insecurity was also associated with worse sleep and stress. Further studies are necessary to assess the role of food insecurity as a mediating factor between sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle behaviors.

Mental distress, food insecurity and university student dropout during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020: evidence from South Africa

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“…Eurostat's findings confirm this diversity of eating styles, especially when differences between genders and different levels of education and income are taken into account (EUROSTAT, 2022b). Today's eating styles are influenced by a variety of factors, including food insecurity (Rizk et al, 2023), food scandals (Rieger et al, 2016), sustainability issues in food production (Allen and Prosperi, 2016;Liu and McCarthy, 2023), environmental pollution (Pink et al, 2022), and ethical concerns (Fanzo, 2015).…”

“…Eurostat’s findings confirm this diversity of eating styles, especially when differences between genders and different levels of education and income are taken into account (EUROSTAT, 2022b). Today’s eating styles are influenced by a variety of factors, including food insecurity (Rizk et al. , 2023), food scandals (Rieger et al.…”