Weight status and food insecurity among Universiti Sains Malaysia health campus undergraduate students

Abstract

Food insecurity refers to the restricted or unsure availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or restricted or unsure ability to obtain foods. Most studies were conducted at the domestic level, but university students are also vulnerable to food insecurity. This study aims to determine the socioeconomic, weight status, and food insecurity among USM health campus undergraduate students. Convenience sampling was used for the recruitment of 286 respondents. Food security status was assessed using U.S. Adult Food Security Survey Module (AFSSM) derived from the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) with no child present. In addition, weight and height were obtained to assess their weight status (BMI). The results indicated that almost half (44.76%) of USM health campus undergraduate students experienced food insecurity, with 33.22% assigned as low food secure and 11.54% assigned as very low food secure. In conclusion, for socioeconomic, only family income and amount of allowance received per semester showed significant association with food insecurity, but no association was found between the primary source of allowance and food insecurity. Students with family income below RM3000 and students with an amount of allowance below RM2000 per semester were at the highest prevalence of food insecurity. There was also no significant association between food insecurity and weight status (BMI). However, it was found that being overweight was high in food-secure students, and obesity was also high in food insecure students.