Implementation of a food scholarship program improves nutrient intake and dietary quality of college students

Authors: ALEXIS, TORREY - Texas Woman'S University; UNRUH, DEBORAH - Texas Woman'S University; WANG, WANYI - Texas Woman'S University; DAVE, JAYNA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); MIKETINAS, DEREK - Texas Woman'S University; CHEN, TZU - University Of Houston; MOORE, CAROLYN - Texas Woman'S University

Submitted to: Journal of American College Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/28/2020
Publication Date: 12/15/2020
Citation: Alexis, T.D., Unruh, D., Wang, W., Dave, J.M., Miketinas, D.C., Chen, T.A., Moore, C.E. 2020. Implementation of a food scholarship program improves nutrient intake and dietary quality of college students. Journal of American College Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2020.1848847.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2020.1848847

Interpretive Summary: Food insecurity on US college students ranges from 9% to well over 50% and is adversely associated with disrupted eating patterns and nutritional inadequacy which impacts student academic performance. The focus of this article is to determine the impact of a food scholarship program at Texas Woman's University on nutrient intake and dietary quality among college students. Through the food scholarship program, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat products and nonperishable foods were distributed twice a month. A one-group pretest post-test intervention compared baseline and 10 weeks data. Food security was measured and three-day food records assessed nutrient intake, dietary quality, and food group servings. Prevalence of food insecurity decreased, though not significant. However, there was a significant increase in the intake of certain nutrients including protein, niacin, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Among food groups, there was an increase in the intake of vegetable servings. Overall dietary quality remained unchanged. This article provides evidence that a food scholarship program can be helpful in improving dietary intake among food insecure college students. More research is warranted to address food insecurity on college campuses.

Technical Abstract: Our objective was to determine the impact of a new food scholarship program on nutrient intake and dietary quality. Participating in the study were college students (n=49), female (78%), single (76%), average age 28 years, and white (49%). Fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat products and nonperishable foods were distributed twice a month. A one-group pretest post-test intervention compared baseline and 10 weeks data. Food security was measured and three-day food records assessed nutrient intake, Health Eating Index (HEI)-2015 (total and component) scores, and food group servings. Paired t-test at baseline and 10 weeks were performed (SPSS v25) (p<0.05). Prevalence of food insecurity did not change (baseline 53%, 10 weeks 47%). Protein, (p=0.001), niacin (p=0.002), magnesium (p=0.034), phosphorous (p=0.039), potassium (p=0.019), and vegetable servings (p=0.034) intake increased. Total HEI-2015 scores remained unchanged but HEI-2015 vegetable scores increased (p=0.023). Increased intake of some nutrients and vegetable servings were achieved with the food scholarship program.