Objective: Physical activity has been shown to have a wide range of beneficial health effects, yet few youth meet the United States physical activity recommendation of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) everyday. The objective of this study was to determine whether physical activity patterns improved in a subsample of fourth-graders participating in the multicomponent intervention, the Shaping Healthy Choices Program (SHCP). Methods: At pre- and post-intervention assessments, youth at the control and intervention schools wore a Polar Active monitor on their nondominant wrist 24 h/d for at least 2 consecutive days. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate change in physical activity by adjusting for covariates and other potential confounders, including ethnicity/race, household income, and sex. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Mean minutes of MVPA significantly increased at the intervention school (22.3 + 37.8; p = 0.01) and at the control school (29.1 + 49.5; p = 0.01). There were no significant differences in the change in MVPA between the schools. Youth at the intervention school significantly decreased mean minutes in sedentary activity compared to the controls (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Youth who participated in the SHCP decreased time spent in sedentary activity and increased very vigorous physical activity from pre- to post-intervention, while these changes were not observed at the control school. The overall small physical activity intensity pattern shift supports that physical activity is an important area to target within a multicomponent nutrition intervention aimed at preventing childhood obesity.

Food insecurity remains a significant crisis in the United States, disproportionately affecting college students at nearly four times the national household average. There are a multitude of competing factors that affect food security in college, thus making it difficult to design effective interventions. This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of recent research exploring the diverse factors that impact food security among college students. Using the Social Cognitive Theory as a guiding framework, this review seeks to identify key influences on food insecurity, address gaps in the literature, and highlight effective interventions that can enhance food security among this vulnerable population. This review highlights how personal/cognitive factors, behaviors, and environmental components shape college students' experiences with food insecurity. There is a need for targeted interventions, resources, and policy changes that can help address food security-related challenges effectively in higher education.

Objectives: Food insecurity among college students, combined with limited nutrition knowledge and barriers to healthy eating, significantly impacts diet quality and fruit and vegetable intake. Efforts to address these issues are further complicated by the challenges of accurately and efficiently collecting dietary data in research settings. This study aimed to explore the relationship between nutrition knowledge and fruit/vegetable intake using skin, plasma, and dietary carotenoid levels as biomarkers. Methods: Undergraduate and graduate students aged 18 years and older (n = 166) from a California public university were recruited. The sample was predominately female (n = 133, 80%), with 30 males (18%) and three individuals (2%) identifying as non-binary. Food security was assessed using the USDA’s 10-item Adult Food Security Survey Module and nutrition knowledge through a validated questionnaire. Biological data included blood samples and skin carotenoid measurements (Veggie Meter^®). Dietary quality (HEI-2015) and carotenoid intake were assessed through Diet ID™, a photo-based assessment tool. Results: The mean nutrition knowledge scores were 36.55 ± 8.83 out of 58 points, and the mean skin carotenoid score was 307.07 ± 110.22. Higher knowledge scores were associated with increased plasma carotenoids, HEI-score, and Diet ID™ total carotenoids. Food security classification did not significantly impact nutrition knowledge but did influence HEI scores and skin carotenoid levels, with very low food security linked to poorer diet quality and lower carotenoid levels. Conclusions: Nutrition knowledge may serve as a significant predictor of fruit and vegetable intake in university students. Despite this correlation, the impact of overall diet quality is potentially hindered by an individual’s food security status. Therefore, while knowledge is critical, addressing food insecurity is essential for enhancing diet quality among college students.

Background/Objective: Students’ taste preferences, cooking skills, and cultural backgrounds impact their use of food access resources on campus. Meal kits include pre-sorted ingredients, which could address food waste and help to prepare meals with unfamiliar ingredients. The objective of this exploratory pilot study was to develop and investigate the impact of culturally relevant meal kits on cooking skills, food waste, and food security tailored to UC Davis students. Methods: Meal kits included ingredients found at the campus food pantry. Three culturally relevant recipes were selected: High-Protein Avocado Toast, Mexican-Inspired Quinoa Bowl, and a Korean Vegetable Stir-Fry. Students were randomly assigned to the intervention meal kit group (n = 50), while the comparison recipe card group received a digital recipe card (n = 25). Data were collected through pre- and post-surveys administered online, in addition to open-ended, qualitative feedback through surveys after each meal kit or recipe card. Results: Thirty-two participants in the meal kit group and four participants in the recipe card group completed all study measures. Both groups experienced an increase in being classified as high food security over the three-week intervention period (+13% in the intervention group and +75% in the comparison group). Further, the intervention group improved cooking self-efficacy (+1.2 points; p < 0.01) and food waste practices. Participants appreciated the meal kits’ ease of preparation, clear instructions, and minimal cooking steps. Conclusions: The preliminary findings of this exploratory pilot study highlight the potential importance of culturally relevant interventions to address food security and promote healthier eating habits among college students. However, more research is needed with a larger, more diverse sample over a longer duration.

To investigate the impact of a college-level nutrition course on factors related to food agency. Pre-post study. Four-year, large, public, land-grant university. Students enrolled in Nutrition 10, an introductory nutrition course (n = 1,873), and a comparison group of students not taking the course (n = 1,125) who completed both the pre- and post-surveys over an academic quarter (3 quarters total). The 92-item questionnaire included the Money Expenditure Scale, Coping Strategy Scale, nutrition knowledge, and the 10-item US Department of Agriculture's Adult Food Security Survey Module. Wilcoxon ranksum tests, ttests, and regression models examined associations between nutrition knowledge and key variables. Structural equation modeling assessed bidirectional relationships. Students who took the class improved nutrition knowledge (+2.23 ± 5.14 points) compared with a decline in the comparison group (-0.42 points ± 3.55; P < 0.001). Structural equation modeling indicated increased nutrition knowledge was associated with lower Money Expenditure Scale (β = -0.03, P = 0.04) and Coping Strategy Scale (β = -0.17, P < 0.001) scores. Existing nutrition courses could help improve nutrition knowledge and factors related to food agency. Future research is needed to identify how improvements in nutrition knowledge translate into sustained behavioral changes that enhance food security in higher education.