Available at: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/3247
Date of Award
3-2026
Degree Name
MS in Nutrition
Department/Program
Food Science and Nutrition
College
College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences
Advisor
Aydin Nazmi
Advisor Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Advisor College
College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences
Abstract
Food insecurity is a growing public health concern consistently associated with elevated rates of nutrition-related chronic disease (NRCD) across the general population. Despite young adulthood being a critical window for dietary pattern formation, this relationship remains minimally explored among college students. This thesis examined associations between food insecurity and NRCD diagnosis, including hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease, among undergraduate students across the California State University (CSU) system. Cross-sectional data were drawn from the Spring 2021 CSU National College Health Assessment, administered across all 23 campuses. After exclusions, the analytical sample comprised 13,762 students. Bivariate analyses assessed relationships between key variables, followed by a multivariate analysis using sequentially adjusted logistic regression to examine the association between food insecurity and NRCD diagnosis. Models in the multivariate analysis adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors, self-rated health (SRH), diet quality, and BMI. Food insecure students demonstrated 34% higher odds of NRCD relative to food secure peers in the unadjusted model (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: [1.20, 1.50]). This association persisted through demographic and socioeconomic adjustment and remained statistically significant following the inclusion of all covariates except BMI, indicating that body composition exerts a greater influence on the food insecurity-NRCD relationship than demographic, socioeconomic, SRH, and dietary factors alone. These findings highlight a critical intersection between food insecurity and long-term cardiometabolic health outcomes in a large, diverse public university system. Addressing food insecurity on college campuses may serve as a meaningful intervention point for reducing NRCD risk among young adults during a pivotal life stage.