(P02-083-25) Food Insecurity and Free Food Resource Utilization: Experiences of International Students at a Midwestern University

Objectives: Food insecurity is a growing concern on university campuses, especially among international students. While universities have implemented free food resources to address this issue, little is known about how these resources are utilized, particularly by international students. We examined the prevalence of food insecurity among international students attending Oklahoma State University (OSU) and their utilization of free food resources.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey in February 2024 among international students recruited via their university emails. Participants responded to questions about food insecurity experiences, coping strategies and awareness and utilization of free food resources. Food insecurity was assessed using the 6-item United States Department of Agriculture food insecurity Six-item Short Form. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were performed to identify factors significantly associated with the non-utilization of free food resources.

Results: Participants (n=173) had a mean age of 28.7±8.4 years; the majority were male (55.2%), graduate students (92.3%), single (68.3%) and employed part-time (63.6%). Most did not receive financial aid (65%) and lived off campus (65.2%). The prevalence of food insecurity was 45.7%, including 31.2% experiencing low food security and 14.5% very low food security. To cope with limited food resources, most international students reported strategies such as reducing meal sizes (73.9%), eating less healthy meals (66.9%), and purchasing cheap, processed foods (66.3%). While 91.5% of participants were aware of at least one free food resource program, only 78.7% reported utilizing at least one program. Non-utilization was more likely among undergraduate students (AOR 6.7, 95% CI 1.49, 30.7) and those lacking awareness (AOR 12.9, 95% CI 3.4, 49.2).

Conclusions: A large percentage of international students struggle with food insecurity. While they are aware of free food resource programs available on the OSU campus or within the Stillwater community, their utilization remains sub-optimal. Understanding the barriers to use of these programs will inform future interventions to improve the use of these resources, thereby improving food security among this population.

Funding Sources: Start-up support provided by Vice President of Research at Oklahoma State University