The Prevalence of Food Insecurity among Postgraduate Students and Its Impact on Their Academic Performance: Evidence from Jordan

Abstract

Background: Food insecurity (FI) is a public health issue which is receiving increasing attention in many countries. In responding to sustainable development goals, achieving food security is of essential importance. This study aims to demonstrate the level of food insecurity among postgraduate students at Jerash University/Jordan, discuss the most important factors associated with it, and show its relation to the student's academic performance. Methods: A random sample of 126 postgraduate students has been interviewed in this cross-sectional study. The level of FI for the study sample was determined using the 10-item US Adult Household Food Security Scale Module (HFSSM). The association between students’ characteristics and their food security (FS) level was analyzed through chi-square test and a multivariate regression method. Results: The results of the study revealed that 67% had marginal or fragile food security level, 25% were highly food secure, and 8% of the sample suffered from food insecurity. The results showed that the association between food security and students' gender and age was insignificant (P > 0.05). As for the rest of the associated characteristics, there was a significant relationship between the students' food security and their marital status, family size, stable-income work, and their monthly income. Conclusion: A percentage of postgraduate students suffer from food insecurity, which is an important obstacle to their academic progress. Moreover, the level of food security is related to the student's marital status, family size, job with stable income, and the amount of monthly income.