March 28, 2024

University students not receiving proper nutrition

College students tend to be more prone to be “food insecure” than those in the average American household, according to research conducted recently. Authors say this may have implications for academic success, emotional and physical health insurance and other conditions.

Food insecurity is understood to be limited or uncertain accessibility to nutritionally adequate and safe foods, and the capability to acquire such food in acceptable ways. The number of university students who experienced an instance of food insecurity in the last year is listed at 59 percent in these findings in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, compared to 14.9 % of households in america. The study ended by researchers from Oregon State University, Oregon’s Benton County Health Department and Western Oregon University.

“Based on other research which has been done, we expected some amount of food concerns among university students,” said Daniel Lpez-Cevallos, associate director of research at OSU’s Center for Latino/a Studies and Engagement, in a statement. “But it had been shocking to locate food insecurity of the severity. Several recent trends might be combining to result in this.”

These trends may include rising college costs, more low-income and first-generation students attending school, and changing demographic trends, a mixture which might be causeing this to be issue higher of computer has been in the past.

“Rising costs of education are actually affecting more people,” said lead study author Megan Patton-Lpez from the Benton County Health Department. “And for many of these students who’re originating from low-income families go to college the very first time, this is usually a continuation of food insecurity they’ve known before. It might be a way of life, and they do not have as numerous resources to assist them to out.”

Food insecurity has been associated with depression, stress, trouble learning within the classroom, and poor health. When similar issues have been addressed with elementary school students, improvements were observed in academic performance, behavior and retention of data. However, these complaints have received little attention in the 19-24 year old demographic that predominates in college, according to the study.

Researchers believe these findings at Western Oregon University likely reflect similar concerns at other colleges and universities over the U.S., with increased research needed to determine the entire scope from the issue.

“One thing that’s clear is that colleges and universities need to be having one of these conversation and being familiar with the issues their students may be facing,” said Lpez-Cevallos. “It does appear this can be a serious issue that has not received adequate attention, and that we have to explore it further.”