Comparisons Of Cooking Self-Efficacy And Food Safety Knowledge Of Food Secure And Food Insecure Sophomores At Appalachian State University

Background: Food insecurity (FI) exists when access to nutritionally adequate and safe foods is limited or uncertain. Research indicates that FI is a serious problem among college students, with rates from 14%-59%. The FI rate among students at Appalachian State University (App State) was 46.2% in 2016. Objective: The purpose of this research was to measure the food security (FS) status of sophomores attending App State, compare the food safety knowledge and cooking competency of food secure and food insecure sophomores, and identify correlations between these variables based on sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 226 App State sophomores. Data were collected through online questionnaires. FS was measured using the USDA 10- item Adult Food Security Survey Module (AFSSM). Statistical analysis included chi-square and correlational analyses. Statistical significance was p < 0.05. Results: Almost half of the sophomores (46%) were food insecure. A significant, but small correlation was found between AFSSM scores and food safety knowledge (r = .008, p < .05). A significant, but weak correlation existed between AFSSM scores and BMI (r = 0.160, p < .05). Conclusions: Findings suggest a need for educational activities that teach food safety and cooking techniques to food secure and food insecure sophomores to help reduce their high rate of FI