Food security and related correlates of married student households in the Southeastern United States during and before the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose This study measured the food security status of married student households with and without children attending a university in the Southeastern United States during the COVID-19 pandemic year 2021 and identified related correlates. Methods Data were collected using an online questionnaire. The analysis included descriptive and inferential procedures ( p < = 0.05). Results Questionnaires represented 169 households (24.5% return rate), 48.5% of which had children. Food insecurity was 32.9% and 26.4% among households with and without children, respectively. About 50.0% of FI and 43.4% of FS households with children rated their physical health as worse during compared to before the pandemic ( p > 0.05), and 88.0% of FI and 54.7% of FS households with children rated their mental health as worse ( p = 0.013). A greater proportion of FI (60.0%) than FS (28.0%) households with children perceived their academic performance during the pandemic as worse ( p = 0.03), and a greater proportion of FI (40.0%) than FS (9.4%) households with children rated their food access as worse ( p < 0.001). Impacts on dietary patterns included less frequent consumption of red meats by FI (63.0%) and FS (29%) households with children, and less frequent consumption of fruits by 65.0% of FI households without children. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic unfavorably impacted the health, school performance, food access, and dietary patterns of FI and FS married student households; impacts were more severe among FI households with children. Findings indicate a need for stronger campus, state, and federal preparedness plans that include assistance programs in these areas during public health emergencies.