Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security Status of College Students in West Texas

Authors: Lee H, Moyo G, Ibiyemi T, Peng LL, Najam W and Oldewage-Theron W*

Special Issue 1: Epidemiological and Clinical Investigations on COVID-19

Abstract

Food insecurity is a serious issue among college students in West Texas and may be exacerbated by COVID-19. No knowledge is available about the impact of COVID-19 on the food security level among college students in West Texas. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students' food security. A cross-sectional study has been conducted by using an online Qualtrics survey prepared from validated questionnaires. The sample consisted of 280 college students that enrolled in this study in fall 2020. SPSS Software Program, version 28, and R version 3.6.1. were used for data analyses. In this study, 43% of college students were food insecure. Significant differences were observed in household size; however, no differences were found in education levels, race distribution, or gender among the food-secure and low and very low food-secure groups. Additionally, a higher proportion of food-insecure students reported losing their jobs during COVID-19 than their food-secure counterparts. Food-insecure students also consumed significantly less fruit and vegetables than their food-secure counterparts. Food insecurity is a critical issue among college students in West Texas. Sustainable solutions, such as food and nutrition assistance programs, should be prioritized by college management.

Keywords: College Students; COVID-19; Food Insecurity; Impact; Texas

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