Association Between Food Insecurity and Mental Health Among College Students in the Bronx, New York (NY)

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Food insecurity and mental health are two important issues affecting college students, and their incidence have increased since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The objective of this study was to examine the association between food insecurity and the mental health outcomes among college students in the Bronx, NY. <b>Methods</b>: The study utilized a cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 710 undergraduate students, using a self-administered survey with a quick response (QR) code. The survey consisted of sociodemographic questions, the US Household Food Security Survey Module (ten-item questionnaire), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 29. <b>Results</b>: Results of the study indicated that 53% of the participants were food insecure, 47.4% had high depressive symptoms, 46.2% had high anxiety, and 50.6% had high stress levels. Multiple logistic regression revealed the reciprocal association between food insecurity and mental health. Students who were stressed (<i>p</i> = 0.022) were likely to experience food insecurity, while those who were food insecure were more likely to experience stress (<i>p</i> = 0.007) and depression (<i>p</i> < 0.021). Students who identified as Black (<i>p</i> = 0.021) and had lower income (<i>p</i> = 0.031) were more likely to be food insecure. <b>Conclusions</b>: This research shows that food insecurity worsens mental health, and mental health worsens food insecurity. However, it was not possible for us to establish causality between the two variables.