(PTFS19-04-24) Assessing Food Security and Acculturation: Insights From International Students

Objectives: Ellyn Satter’s Hierarchy of Food Needs states that acceptable and familiar food is fundamental for food security. This study assessed food security, quality of life, perception of health, and dietary and linguistic acculturation among international students at a midwestern private university in the U.S.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted via Qualtrics (March - April 2023). Participants included 118 undergraduate and graduate international students enrolled at a midwestern private university. Primary outcome measures included food security (USDA U.S. Household Food Security: Six-Item), quality of life (Modified SF-12), self-reported perception of health, two questions about dietary acculturation (Dean et al 2022), acculturation measured by language (Modified SL-ASIA), and length of stay in the United States. Statistical analyses were performed. Logistic regression clustered by country of origin and chi-squared tests were run to detect areas of significance (Stata 18.0 BE).

Results: The final sample included 118 international students. Most (n=107) were graduate students and their average time living in the United States was 1.4 years. Over two-thirds of international students (68.5%) reported experiencing food insecurity, and few (8.2%) reported a high quality of life. Seventy-four percent of students perceived themselves as healthy. While most students (98.3%) reported low levels of language-based acculturation, a majority (87.9%) reported incorporating more American foods into their diet, suggesting high dietary acculturation.

Conclusions: The high rate of food insecurity and low levels of quality of life warrant further investigation. International students might be adapting to the available U.S. diet and fulfilling the need for 'enough food' according to Satter’s Hierarchy of Food Needs. However, they may not be reaching the higher levels of the hierarchy, such as ‘acceptable food’ or ‘reliable, ongoing access to food’. The inability to satisfy higher-level food needs can lead to a lower quality of life, as food is a significant component of overall well-being. Immediate action is needed to effectively connect international students with stable, culturally acceptable food sources, as well as with resources to help improve their quality of life.

Funding Sources: Unfunded