Understanding food insecurity among collegiate athletes: a qualitative study at a public university in New England

Context: Authors of previous research at a public university in New England, where the current study takes place, showed that approximately one-third of undergraduate students have experienced some aspect of food insecurity. More recent investigators at this university revealed that students who were members of a sport team were 4 times more likely to be food insecure than their peers who were not on a sport team. The estimated prevalence of student-athlete food insecurity from other previous research studies ranged from 14% to 32%. Objective: To understand the contributing factors to food insecurity among collegiate athletes. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: A public university in New England. Patients or Other Participants: Data are presented for 10 collegiate athletes who experienced some level of food insecurity according to the United States Department of Agriculture Six-Item Short Form. Data Collection and Analysis: Data were collected using a brief demographic questionnaire and semistructured interviews. Results: Contributing factors were a lack of time, special dietary needs, limited campus dining options, and limited access to transportation or kitchens. Coping strategies were managing time and resources, buying cheaper foods, and skipping meals. Food insecurity negatively affected students' athletic performance. The athletes struggled to balance their athletic and academic schedules and obtain a diet that allowed them to meet their performance goals. Conclusions: Additional and innovative programming is needed to support food-insecure student-athletes. © by the National Athletic Trainers' Association, Inc.