Food security status and related factors of undergraduate students receiving financial aid at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Campus.
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Date
2014
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Abstract
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of food insecurity and related factors among
undergraduate recipients of financial aid at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg
Campus (UKZN- PMB) and whether there is a relationship between food security status and
academic performance.
Design: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted assessing the food security status
and related factors of students on financial aid.
Setting: UKZN-PMB campus, situated in Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, with a student
population of 9 785.
Subjects: A sample of 268 students on financial aid was randomly selected. First year and post
graduate level students were excluded.
Outcome measures: A self-administered questionnaire consisting of the four main sections,
including: anthropometric status and socio-demographic information, food frequency
questionnaire (FFQ), household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS), nutrition knowledge
questionnaire (NKQ) and combined performance index (CPI) scores.
Results: The mean BMI of the study sample was 24.4 ± 4.7 kg/m2. A fifth (21.4%) of the
sample was overweight and a tenth (12.4%) was obese. An increase in BMI was associated with
an increase in food insecurity. The foods consumed „more than once a day‟, included the starch
group, fats and coffee and tea. Just over half (53.0%) of the sample received no additional
allowance apart from financial aid. The majority (82.4%) of the sample spent most of their
money on food. The mean amount of monthly food expenditure was R558.40 ± R211.12. Over
a third (34.7%) of the sample was food insecure with another third (33.6 %) being at risk of food
insecurity. Almost a tenth (9.7%) of the sample was severely food insecure and just over a fifth
(22%) was food secure. The main coping strategy adopted was seeking assistance from friends.
The mean NKQ score of the sample was 18.8 ± 3.8 (58.6%) which fell within the “average”
range. Food insecure students had a lower mean CPI score than those who are food secure.
Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of food insecurity and obesity among the study
sample. The diets lacked diversity with a low consumption of fruit and vegetables. Nutrition
knowledge seems to have no impact on food choice. Food insecurity impacted negatively on
academic performance.
Description
M. Sc. Diet. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2014.
Keywords
Food security -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal., Students -- Nutrition -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal., Nutrition surveys -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal., Theses -- Dietetics and human nutrition.