Effects of Food Insecurity on Resilience Among Undergraduate University Students
Description
Food insecurity is a prevalent issue among college students. Stress induced by food insecurity may affect mental resilience. However, no previous reports have addressed this potential relationship. To fill this gap, an anonymous online survey targeting adults 18 years or older was distributed via social media and messaging platforms. The survey included demographic questions and the Brief Resilience Scale. A total of 997 people completed the survey, including 705 females, 246 males, and 46 others. Data was analyzed using Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient in SPSS Version 25.0. The results show that food insecurity was positively correlated with consumption of pre-packaged foods (p<0.01). Negative correlations between food insecurity and consumption of dark, green leafy vegetables (p<0.01) and the ability to recover from stressful events (p<0.01) were also found. This suggests a potential link between food insecurity, the consumption of pre-packaged foods, and decreased mental resilience.