Methods used to assess food insecurity among US college students: A systematic review

To describe the methods used in assessing food insecurity prevalence among college students.

Researchers searched peer-reviewed and publicly available electronic databases for peer-reviewed articles on survey protocols used to determine food security among college students in the US.

Fifty-four studies met the inclusion criteria, representing data from 70,911 college students. Forty-eight studies used versions of the USDA Food Security Survey Module, with the 6-item and 10-item versions being the most common. Three studies combined USDA survey modules, and only three studies used different surveys, highlighting the various measures of food insecurity among college students.

The variation in the prevalence of college student food insecurity, along with the difference in assessment methods, warrants the need for a standardized measurement to inform food aid policies and interventions aimed at alleviating college student food insecurity.