(P19-033-24) A Comparative Analysis of the Campus Food Environment of an Urban Multi-Campus Minority Serving Institution in Southeast U.S.

Objectives: Food insecurity, the inability to acquire sufficient or appropriate food, among U.S. college students is a public health issue affecting academic progress and well-being. While the food environment on university campuses can enrich student well-being and offer dietary accommodations (e.g., vegetarian, vegan, kosher, or halal options), little is known about the types and availability of these food establishments on and around Georgia State University (GSU), a multi-site 4-year urban university in the Southeast U.S. This Minority Serving Institution has a disproportionately high prevalence of food-insecure students, with total undergraduate 2-year and 4-year enrollment being 15,468 and 28,927 students, respectively.

Methods: Between October 2023 and February 2024, we identified and compiled a database of 208 images of various on-campus food establishments, detailing type (dining halls, vending machines, restaurants, community cafeterias, or food pantries), location, and dietary options, using data from the university website, online resources, and local knowledge. Off-campus food options within a < 0.5-mile radius of all six GSU campuses (Atlanta, Alpharetta, Clarkston, Decatur, Dunwoody, and Newton) were also documented.

Results: We observed large variations in the number and variety of food pantries, restaurants, vending machines, and off-campus food establishments among GSU campuses. Of the 208 food establishments documented, 91% offered vegetarian food, 68.8% vegan, 20.7% kosher, and 33.7% halal. The downtown Atlanta campus had the highest number and variety of food establishments (46.7% vegetarian, 47.6% vegan, 37.2% kosher, and 38.6% halal) compared to the other five perimeter campuses. Also, of the 93 food establishments in Atlanta, 28 were on-campus, and 65 were off-campus. In contrast, the Decatur campus had 12 on-campus food establishments and 1 off-campus.

Conclusions: The food environment of a diverse, multi-site urban university in the southeast showed a wide choice in the types and availability of foods at and around the main campus but limited options at the perimeter campuses. We aim to convert the database into a user-friendly Food Access Map, using the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (NEMS) to evaluate the healthfulness and quality of the campus food environment.

Funding Sources: University Assistantship Program, GSU