Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions on College Students’ Dietary Quality and Experience of the Food Environment

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions sent college students online and off campus, potentially reducing access to healthy food. The objective of this cross-sectional, internet-based study was to use qualitative and quantitative survey methods to evaluate whether COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in Texas, USA affected college students’ ability to buy food, how/what they shopped for, how they prepared food, what they ate, how they felt about eating, and overall dietary quality (assessed using Healthy Eating Index [HEI] scores). Survey responses from 502 students (87.5% female; 59.6% nonwhite, mean age 27.5 ± 0.4 years, >50% graduate students) were analyzed. The qualitative analysis of open-ended questions revealed 110 codes, 17 subthemes, and six themes. Almost all students experienced changes in at least one area, the most common being changes in shopping habits. Participants with low or very low food security had lower HEI scores compared to food secure students (p = 0.047). Black students were more likely to report changes in their ability to buy food (p = 0.035). The COVID-19 restrictions varied in their impact on students’ ability to access sufficient healthy food, with some students severely affected. Thus, universities should establish procedures for responding to emergencies, including identifying at-risk students and mobilizing emergency funds and/or food assistance.

Consumer experiences of food environments during the Covid-19 pandemic: Global insights from a rapid online survey of individuals from 119 countries

“…Of these, nearly half were conducted in the United States of America (USA) (n = 4) ( Adams et al, 2020 , 2021 ; Hammons and Robart, 2021 ; Silva et al, 2021 ), followed by two in Latin America (Brazil, Mexico) ( Gonzalez-Alejo et al, 2020 ; Horta et al, 2021 ), and one each in Africa (Zimbabe) ( Murendo et al, 2021 ), Asia (China) ( Ahmed et al, 2020 ), and the Pacific Islands (Samoa) ( Emiliata et al, 2020 ). The majority of studies reported changes in external food environments, including the natural, built ( Ahmed et al, 2020 ; FAO, 2020 ) and digital ( Horta et al, 2021 ), home food environments ( Adams et al, 2020 , 2021 ; Hammons and Robart, 2021 ), and household and individual-level food acquisition practices ( Emiliata et al, 2020 ; Murendo et al, 2021 ; Silva et al, 2021 ) since the onset of the pandemic, with differences and similarities observed between level of country development, stringency of pandemic-related mitigation strategies, and socio-economic status. The one multi-country study that has been conducted interviewed urban food system stakeholders such as provincial government officers ( FAO, 2020 ).…”

“…The one multi-country study that has been conducted interviewed urban food system stakeholders such as provincial government officers ( FAO, 2020 ). From the above studies, only three sought to understand the lived experiences of food environment changes during the pandemic using qualitative methodologies ( Emiliata et al, 2020 ; Hammons and Robart, 2021 ; Silva et al, 2021 ). No study to date has assessed the impact of Covid-19-related mitigation strategies on food environments at the consumer level across multiple countries or contexts during the early months of the pandemic.…”

College Campus Food Pantry Program Evaluation: What Barriers Do Students Face to Access On-Campus Food Pantries?

“…In the past two years since the COVID-19 pandemic started, college students have faced financial hardships that might increase their food insecurity risk and need for food assistance [ 26 , 27 ]. Thus, it is expected that students with food insecurity are willing to take advantage of the free food resources available to them, specifically on-campus resources such as food pantries.…”

Development of a Web-App for the Ecological Momentary Assessment of Dietary Habits among College Students: The HEALTHY-UNICT Project

“…Students, in particular, are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through the spread of several unhealthy behaviors, such as sedentary activities, poor dietary habits, and reduced sleep quality, which in turn affect their stress levels and depression [21,22]. During the current pandemic, restrictions and lockdown procedures contributed to inadequate food choices, resulting in a poorer quality of diet for students [23].…”