Prevalence of food insecurity in NCAA Division III collegiate athletes

Objective: Prevalence of food insecurity in NCAA DIII student-athletes was assessed via an anonymous, online survey (n = 787) in February of 2020. Participants: Participants were mainly female, 18-21 years old, self-identified as white, lived on campus and had a campus meal plan. Methods: Food security was assessed using an anonymous, online survey based off of the USDA 6-item short form food security survey. Results: Overall prevalence of food insecurity was 14.7% with Hispanic students, Black students, those without a meal plan, recipients of a Pell grant, first generation college students and those experiencing food insecurity prior to enrolling in college being at higher risk. A majority of respondents felt lack of access to food impacted their academic and athletic performance, as well as overall health and cited timing of practices and games overlapping with dining hall hours as a key contributor. Conclusion: Based off of these results, educational programs and resources should be targeted toward these high-risk groups to help ensure consistent access to safe and healthy food for student-athletes.