Eureka! Institutional Repository

The years of studying in tertiary education form a critical period, capable of influencing the quality of life and eating habits of later adulthood and also, the long-term health of individuals. In addition, student life consists of a period when most adopt special lifestyle habits. Overall, students’ lifestyle changes, and this often affects eating habits, and subsequently, dietary choices. According to research, the majority of university students worldwide tend to follow rather unhealthy eating habits [1], a phenomenon extended even among Nutrition and Dietetics students [2]. Lately, the issue of food insecurity has also emerged among campuses worldwide and is considered as a major public health concern. [3] The term “Food insecurity” describes the limited access to adequate healthy and nutritious food. Following the economic recession, food insecurity prevalence increased in Europe, without sparing University students [2]. Understanding the magnitude of the problem is crucial for Higher Education Institutions, as food insecurity has been shown to increase stress and other health issues and induce adverse academic outcomes. [3] The aim of the study was to investigate the nutritional status, food insecurity and level of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among university students in England. A non-probability sample of 57 students from Sheffield, England in 2020 was analyzed. The HFIA-Scale was used to assess food insecurity and MEDAS questionnaire was used to assess adherence to the Mediterranean Diet. It was found that 40.4% of students were severely food insecure, as well as 19.2% and 8,8% of students experienced moderate and mild food insecurity, respectively. The level of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet was low (5,1 ± 2,4), indicating the adoption of a more Western diet.