Association between food insecurity status, campus food initiative use and diet quality in Australian university students.

AIMS: University students may experience food insecurity due to financial constraints, reducing the quality of their diet. This study aimed to identify students at higher risk of food insecurity, their engagement with on-campus food initiatives and evaluate the relationship between food insecurity and a validated index of diet quality.

METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey used the six-item Household Food Security Survey Module to assess food insecurity. Total diet quality and subscale scores for eight food groups were measured using the Australian Recommended Food Score (range 0-73). Univariate and multivariate regression identified groups at risk of food insecurity, their engagement with campus food initiatives and relationship with diet quality scores.

RESULTS: Of student respondents (n = 197), over half (54%) experienced food insecurity (14% mild, 23% moderate and 18% severe food insecurity). Male students and students not living with parents were at significantly higher risk. Food-insecure students were significantly more likely to use the campus food pantry (odds ratio = 2.3 [95% confidence interval = 1.286-4.142]; p = 0.005) but not a campus community garden. The mean diet quality score was 32.9 (standard deviation = 8.9). Food-insecure students reported a mean diet quality score over three points lower than food-secure respondents (B = -3.5 [95% confidence interval = -6.0 to -1.0]; p = 0.006), with significantly lower fruit and vegetable subscale scores.

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest a high occurrence of food insecurity and poor dietary quality in university students. Despite high levels of engagement with the campus food pantry, the poor diet quality of food-insecure students suggests an urgent need for greater university-led interventions to improve students' dietary intake.