Publication: The association of food insecurity status with physical activity levels and dietary practices of students in Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia
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Date
2025-07
Authors
Sanusi, Nurul Nurhidayah Balkhis Mohd
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Abstract
The issue of food insecurity among university students is becoming an increasing concern. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between food insecurity status and physical activity levels, as well as dietary practices, among students at the Health Campus of Universiti Sains Malaysia. This cross-sectional study, involving 263 students at the Health Campus, was selected using convenience sampling. Food insecurity status was assessed using the Malaysian Food Insecurity Experience Scale (MFIES), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to measure physical activity levels. The dietary practices questionnaire, taken from the 2019 National Health and Mobility Survey, was used to assess dietary practices. The results indicated that 74.6% of undergraduate students at USM Health Campus faced food insecurity. It was categorized as 49.8% faced mild food insecurity, 22.1% faced moderate food insecurity, and 2.7% faced severe food insecurity. Food insecurity is associated with the primary source of allowances, as students who received loans reported higher levels of food insecurity (p = 0.029). However, there is no association between food insecurity and physical activity levels and dietary practices (p > 0.05). In conclusion, food-insecure students exhibit moderate physical activity levels, and their dietary practices remain unaffected. Future research can conduct further research on the long-term effects of food insecurity status among univesity students
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