Campus Food Pantry Use May Improve Daily Frequency of Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among California University Students Experiencing Food Insecurity.

BACKGROUND: University students are at increased risk for both food insecurity and suboptimal fruit and vegetable (F/V) intake. Campus food pantries (CFP) have been a common intervention in response to student food insecurity, but there have been few evaluations of the effectiveness of this strategy on improving students' dietary intake. OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in the frequency of F/V intake by food security status, and whether the number of monthly CFP visits was associated with frequency of F/V intake among university students who were CFP clients. DESIGN: Cross-sectional PARTICIPANTS: The study population included 1,188 university students across the 10-campus University of California system who had accessed their CFP or Basic Needs Center. MAIN MEASURES: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 6-item short food security module, monthly CFP visits, and self-reported frequency of F/V intake (daily). STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: T-tests were performed to compare differences in mean daily frequency of F/V intake by food security status. Generalized linear models were used to examine associations between monthly CFP visits and mean daily frequency of F/V intake. Using a post hoc Wald test, an interaction term (monthly CFP visits × food security status) was included to the models to determine whether food security status modified associations. RESULTS: Students experiencing food insecurity consumed total F/V 0.48 fewer times per day compared with students who were food secure (2.64 ± 2.11 vs 3.12 ± 2.01; P < .001). Among students experiencing food insecurity, each monthly CFP visit was associated with higher daily frequencies of intake for total F/V (ß = 0.06), whole fruit (ß = 0.03), 100% fruit juice (ß = 0.01), and leafy greens (ß = 0.01); however, no associations were found among the food-secure group. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that CFPs may be supporting students in need of nutritional assistance increase their daily frequency of F/V intake. Future studies are needed to validate these findings to inform investment in campus food pantries and support university students in need of nutritional assistance.

COVID-19-related stressors exacerbate food insecurity and depressive symptoms among graduate students receiving campus basic needs services: Cross-sectional findings from seven California public universities.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity and depression were growing public health concerns among graduate students. Yet, little is known about how COVID-19-related stressors exacerbated these health outcomes among graduate students. To address this research gap, this study examined two types of COVID-19-related stressors, anticipated concerns about remote learning and challenges interfering with academic and research responsibilities, in relation to food insecurity and depressive symptoms among public university graduate students. Between August and October 2020, 631 graduate students who utilised basic needs services from seven University of California campuses completed an online survey assessing the effects of COVID-19 on their academic experiences, mental health, and basic needs security. Regression analyses examined associations of COVID-19-related concerns and COVID-19-related challenges with food insecurity as well as COVID-19-related concerns and COVID-19-related challenges in relation to depressive symptoms. All four models were adjusted for age, sex, race and ethnicity, campus affiliation, and living with a partner. Models examining food security status as the dependent variable were adjusted for depressive symptoms and vice versa. Graduate students concerned about delayed graduation, post-graduate employment, isolation from faculty and not having access to healthcare reported higher counts of depressive symptoms. Challenges associated with higher counts of depressive symptoms included caring for family more than usual, spending more time on errands and not paying for utilities in full. Students concerned about accessing healthcare had higher odds of experiencing food insecurity. Challenges associated with food insecurity included spending more time on errands, being unable to afford housing and sending money to family members during the pandemic. Our findings illuminate the pandemic's deleterious consequences on graduate students' mental health and food security, underscoring the need for strong academic and basic needs programs and policies.

Campus Food Pantry Use Addresses a Gap Among California Public University Students.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with campus food pantry (CFP) visits and evaluate outreach strategies. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Ten University of California campuses. PARTICIPANTS: University of California CFP student users (n = 1,513) completed a survey in 2019. VARIABLES MEASURED: Students reported reasons for CFP visits, how they heard about the CFP, monthly CFP visits, and food security status. Sociodemographic information was obtained through institutional records. ANALYSIS: Poisson regression for associations of monthly CFP visits (dependent) with sociodemographic variables (Model 1), reasons for CFP visits (Model 2), and outreach strategies (Model 3). Logistic regression for associations between reasons for CFP visits and food security status (dependent; Model 4). RESULTS: On average, students made 3.66 (SD, 4.75) CFP visits in the past month. Factors associated with more CFP visits included being first-generation to attend college, Filipino/Pacific Islanders, homeless, older, and male (Model 1). Not wanting to run out of food and hearing about the CFP through basic needs staff were associated with more CFP visits (Models 2 and 3). Students who visited the CFP because of financial insecurity had higher odds of food insecurity (Model 4). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings suggest that CFPs provide critical emergency food assistance for students at risk of food insecurity.