The Effect of COVID-19 on Students Food Security and Eating Habits at California State University, Fresno

Introduction: Studies consistently demonstrate that college students have higher levels of food insecurity compare to other US households. Fresno and Bakersfield, two of the biggest cities in Central Valley of California, are among the nations’ top urban cities reporting the highest amounts of hunger. Food insecurity has been linked with lower dietary quality, poor mental health, and lower academic performance among students. It is well established that many college students experience food insecurity and this condition is exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, yet, the literature is limited regarding how food insecurity specifically impacts college students’ eating habits and food accessibility. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of COVID-19 on student’s food security and eating habits at California State University, Fresno (Fresno State). Method: A self-administered questionnaire was developed and sent to Fresno State students. A total of 406 students completed the survey. Upon completion of the consent process online, each student was asked to complete 30 questions. Including sociodemographic questions, US Department of Agriculture modified version of the six-item Food Security questions, and questions regarding intake from protein, whole grain foods, water, fruits, vegetables, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB), and energy drinks. All questions have been set at two different timelines: February 2020 (before the Stay-at-home Order) and Spring 2021. Results: Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26 and SmartPLS 3.0 Partial Least Square software. Overall, 55.7% of students showed food security in February 2020 compared to 55.3% in Spring 2021. The average score of food security was compared for February 2020 (score 2.17) to spring 2021 (score 2.28), and no statistically significant changes were observed. The food security construct was confirmed with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and a significant correlation was identified between food security and fruits, vegetables, proteins, water, SSBs, and energy drinks for February 2020, and the same pattern was identified for Spring 2021. There were no significant differences between food security and eating habits as of February 2020 compared to Spring 2021. Discussion: The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the effect of COVID-19 on Fresno State student`s food security and eating habits. This study found no significant effects of the COVID-19 on food insecurity nor eating habits. Conclusion: The present study has enhanced our understanding of the association between food security and eating habits, suggesting the need for further investigation of this relationship.