PD542 - A PILOT SURVEY EXPLORING MENTAL WELLBEING AND FOOD INSECURITY IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

PD542

A PILOT SURVEY EXPLORING MENTAL WELLBEING AND FOOD INSECURITY IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

E. Boni¹, A. Chrysomilou¹, A. Z. Kalea¹, E. Papada^1,*

¹Division of Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom

Rationale: Food insecurity (FI) and mental health problems are increasingly prevalent, but little is known about FI in university students and its relationship with mental well-being and eating behaviour. The aim of this pilot survey was to determine FI prevalence and its associations with mental wellbeing and dietary habits in university students.

Methods: An anonymous, online survey was conducted (April-August 2025). Ethical approval was granted by UCL’s Ethics Committee. Food security status was assessed using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Mental wellbeing was evaluated with the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, and eating habits were assessed with a Short 15-Item Food Frequency Questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted with Microsoft Excel for descriptive statistics, chi-square, and independent t-tests.

Results: A total of 61 students (78.7% females) completed the survey with 41% of students experiencing FI (mild (64%), moderate (32%), severe (4%)). No significant association was found between FI and WHO-5 wellbeing (p=0.795). While fruit intake was lower in students with FI, and they reported more irregular breakfast patterns, no significant differences in dietary habits were observed. Trends approaching significance were observed for fruit consumption (p = 0.08), following other types of diets (p = 0.06), and use of food assistance (p = 0.06). Awareness and use of support services were low, though students with FI were more likely to use them.

Conclusion: FI is prevalent among university students and may be linked to poorer diet quality. However, the lack of statistical association with wellbeing or dietary variables may reflect sample size limitations underlining the need for research to understand this complex relationship. Low awareness and uptake of support services highlight potential areas for university-led interventions.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared