‘Spending all this time stressing and worrying and calculating’: marginal food security and student life at a Diverse Urban University

Abstract

Objective: Food security status is a continuum ranging from high to very low food security. While marginal food security falls next to high food security on the spectrum, new quantitative research indicates marginal food security status is associated with negative health outcomes and poor academic performance among college students. Qualitative research focusing on college students experiencing marginal food security has not been conducted. This study aims to qualitatively explore experiences of college students with marginal food security and to identify themes to better understand and provide context regarding how marginal food security impacts students. Design: Students were recruited for semi-structured interviews with questions designed to study the challenges associated with students’ food situations. All interviews were recorded and transcribed with themes identified via an inductive approach. Setting: A large public university on the US west coast. Participants: Thirty college students. Results: Key themes that emerged: purchasing cheap unhealthy foods; insufficient time to prepare and eat meals on a regular basis; stress and anxiety around the inability to eat healthy food and future health issues; self-perception of health when eating poorly along with physical symptoms; and low academic motivation by not fully participating in their courses due to few healthy food options or missing meals. Conclusion: Marginal food security can potentially diminish students’ health and their capacity to learn and succeed in their coursework. The results emphasize that students experiencing marginal food security should not be grouped with students experiencing high food security.

Investigating the Feasibility of a Restaurant Delivery Service to Improve Food Security among College Students Experiencing Marginal Food Security, a Head-to-Head Trial with Grocery Store Gift Cards

“…We recruited current students at the California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) campus who were ≥18 years old, had a smartphone, and were experiencing marginal food security. This study was limited to students experiencing marginal food security because there is little published research on interventions for this group, and this group is more likely than students experiencing low or very low food security to shift to food secure as a result of a small benefit amount [ 5 ]. A smartphone was included in the eligibility criteria to ensure participants could fully take advantage of the restaurant delivery service by ordering on their phone.…”

“…After written informed consent was collected, students were provided an online survey to collect basic demographic information and interviewed on campus about their experiences with marginal food security. The results of that interview are published elsewhere [ 5 ]. Participants then received $40 per month for two months in the form of a Grubhub (restaurant delivery service) gift certificate available through their smartphones, and $40 per month for two months in the form of a gift card to a grocery store of their choice.…”

“…Although the United States Department of Agriculture systematically combines those with no food challenges with those who are experiencing marginal food security into its definition of a food secure group [ 3 ], evidence suggests that those experiencing marginal food security often have worse physical and mental health outcomes than those without food challenges [ 4 ]. Among college students, marginal food security has been positively associated with lower grade point averages, less cooking and food agency, worse perceived health, increased body mass index, and depression [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ].…”

“…However, RMP does not allow participants to redeem benefits with restaurant delivery services. Restaurant delivery services have become more popular among college students [ 16 , 17 ] and they may be a viable mechanism to improve the food security status of college students experiencing marginal food security because such services often eliminate the need to procure, cook, or store food [ 5 , 6 , 18 , 19 ]. Past research suggests that some students struggle with procuring food due to lack of transportation or disability, some are uncomfortable with their culinary skills or might not have all the cooking tools they need, and some lack space to store food [ 5 , 6 , 18 , 19 ].…”

“…Restaurant delivery services have become more popular among college students [ 16 , 17 ] and they may be a viable mechanism to improve the food security status of college students experiencing marginal food security because such services often eliminate the need to procure, cook, or store food [ 5 , 6 , 18 , 19 ]. Past research suggests that some students struggle with procuring food due to lack of transportation or disability, some are uncomfortable with their culinary skills or might not have all the cooking tools they need, and some lack space to store food [ 5 , 6 , 18 , 19 ]. Students experiencing marginal food security might be more amenable to restaurant delivery services as knowing they have prepared food might diminish any anxiety they have surrounding the procurement or preparation of food [ 3 ].…”