Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-6-2022
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Nutrition and Hospitality Management
First Advisor
Laurel Lambert
Second Advisor
Melinda Valliant
Third Advisor
Georgianna Mann
Relational Format
Abstract
Food insecurity (FI), defined as the lack of consistent access to nutrient dense foods, is equally complex as it is prominent in low-income households. Many food insecure individuals have developed coping strategies to mitigate food deficiencies. There remains a gap in research regarding the influence food insecurity on these coping strategies during the transitionary period of students from home life to college. The present study examines the impact of food insecurity on coping strategies among students during both high school and college experiences. A total of 231 freshmen at two large, urban universities completed a questionnaire that included the 6-item USDA HFSSM, demographic characteristics, and anthropometric measurements in December of 2021. Approximately 26% of students experienced FI during their senior year of high school. Very low food secure (VLFS) high school students practiced denying themselves preferred food (p=0.027), limiting portion sizes (p=0.021), and skipping meals (p=0.001) more often than low food secured students (LFS). Approximately 48% of students reported experiencing FI during their freshmen year of college, with VLFS freshmen denying themselves preferred food (p=0.002), limiting portion sizes (p=0.002), and skipping meals (pp= 0.007) and skipping meals to eat a larger meal later more often (p
Recommended Citation
Halama, Nora Evelyn, "Impact of Food Insecurity on Coping Strategies: A Comparison of Family and College Perception" (2022). Honors Theses. 2680.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2680
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