The National Health Interview Survey reported that between 2011 and 2017, young adults were more vulnerable to food insecurity than older adults in the United States. Another study reported that roughly 1 out of every 10 students in higher education is food insecure. Evidence has shown that food insecurity can correlate to substance use. This study explores the associations by analyzing data from a large sample of college students. For this study food insecurity is defined as “having limited access to nutritionally adequate foods or uncertainty of whether one can consistently acquire nutritious food in a socially acceptable manner.”
The study analyzed data from the 2020-2021 Health Minds Study (HMS) Fall and Spring cohort. HMS is a non-probability web-based survey examining health and wellness among students in higher education across the United States. They measured food insecurity by asking, within the past 12 months, if the student had worried about whether food would run out before they received more money to buy more and by asking within the past 12 months if the food the student bought did not last and, the student did not have money to buy more. Binge drinking and mental health correlates were also measured.
This study showed that of the students they sampled, 30.54% reported food insecurity. Substance use outcomes were more common among those who were food insecure than those who were not. Food insecurity was also associated with a range of illicit or prescription drugs, and these students were 1.43 times more likely to use any illicit or prescription drug. These stats did change once mental health variables were added. Showing a possible correlation between mental health variables and food insecurity as well. This study confirmed that food insecurity is a public health concern for all ages and especially those enrolled in higher education. As well as when talking about treatment and substance use disorder, food insecurity should be asked about.
Takeaway: Students enrolled in higher education experiencing food insecurity have an association with more substance use outcomes such as binge drinking.