Megan Tutundjian

UWP 001Y

Professor Ringo

1 November 2022

                                                       UC Davis Students and Food Literacy

Process memo:

        For my previous drafts most of the advice I received was on editing common grammar mistakes, making my sentences clearer and more concise, and adding more information specific to UC Davis. I decided to update all the advice given to me by my peer and tutor feedback. I edited my in-text citations and expanded on claims I made in my discussion section. I also edited any common grammatical errors I made throughout the paper. My peers told me to include more resources on what UC Davis provides, which I added. My tutor explained that some of my sentences were repetitive, so I took some sentences out and made others more concise. I believe my strengths of my second draft include more clear sentences and evidence for the claims I make in the essay. In addition, the professor also pointed out some citation issues and need for a more organized conclusion, which I fixed. Overall, I think my strengths are my evidence-based in-depth research and organization. My weaknesses include a better opportunity for stronger paraphrasing sources.

Abstract:

            This research paper will examine food literacy among students at the University of California, Davis campus. The primary focus of the paper will be to acknowledge a lack of food literacy among college students and how prominent education on food literacy will benefit student health. The overall goal of this paper is to bring awareness to a lack of food literacy on campus and how this lack of understanding affects students. In addition, this research will spark interest among students to further research the importance of food literacy and motivate them to be self-aware of their lack of understanding. Food security among college students is a fundamental need that should not be overlooked and can be achieved through improved food literacy (Morgan, Arrowood, Farris, and Griffin 1). As a result of the large increase in food insecurity among college students especially within the UC system, students with improved food literacy are more likely to excel as college students academically and socially.

Introduction:

            Simply put, food literacy describes proficiency in food-related skills and knowledge. In other words, it is one’s understanding of the impact of their own food choices that affect their health. (Truman, Lane, and Elliott 1). Food literacy is a broad topic that is influenced by multiple factors that include but are not limited to a person's upbringing, financial status, geographical location, and education. The transition into college poses a high risk of food insecurity among college students because it is the first-time students are away from their food routine from previous years, many are financially on their own for the first time, and many students previously have relied on a family member to cook for them. A vast range from 15-59% of college students face food insecurity on a national level (Morgan, Arrowood, Farris, and Griffin 2). 

Specifically, at UC Davis in 2018 44% of students faced food insecurity (Watts). College students have a long reputation for consuming foods that are not nourishing or beneficial to the body. Student meal plans are still expensive and sometimes do not provide a variety of options for students, especially those with dietary restrictions. A feeling of security regarding food stems from the ability to access healthy foods with little stress and basic education on nutrition. While college can be a hard transition, the neglect of nutrition or the lack of knowledge on the topic can further push students further away from success. 

As a student growing up with multiple food allergies, I have learned to be more self-aware about the foods I consume. I have had to adapt to different circumstances where my usual food substitutions are not present. For example, my lack of calcium growing up has led me to find different sources of calcium to sustain my nutrients. Normally I would utilize soymilk as a complete protein, but the dining hall does not always have soy options, thus I learned to make use of the salad bar to highlight my meals with vegetables that were high in calcium such as broccoli. However, to my surprise, many students have very little knowledge of nutrition and how certain food choices affect one’s body. Students I have personally spoken to are not aware about the different affects certain foods have on their mental health and where to find resources that can help them learn more. To this end it is important to examine food literacy on any college campus to help provide adequate resources for students to make educated food choices. While UC Davis has many resources to help students, most of the education on food choices begins before college.  As a result, students are unaware of the detriments their lack of food literacy is contributing to their health before entering college.

Methodology:

            To further examine food literacy at UC Davis the methodology used for research was a survey. I randomly approached students on their way to class and asked them if I could send them the survey. The survey was also posted in Political Science and Communication class Discord channels. The survey was done through a Google Form and posted in Facebook groups. The survey consisted of 11 multiple-choice questions consisting of “yes or no” responses and specific food answers. A total of 23 people responded to the survey. The beginning of the survey asks questions about the student's knowledge of what food literacy is and if they have taken classes at UC Davis. The latter parts of the survey asked specific food group questions to test their general knowledge of basic nutritional concepts. The end of the survey then asks if students would prefer more education on food at UC Davis as part of the curriculum. The overall goal of the survey was to view the awareness of food literacy among students and how self-aware students are in their own knowledge and practices with nutrition. 

Results:

            Respondents were either second or third-year students at UC Davis. A majority of the respondents (60.9%) claimed they did not know what food literacy was. 

 

 

 

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Similarly, a majority of students (65%) claimed they did not think they would get a high score on a test about food groups or nutrition. 

 

 

 

 

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A higher majority of 70% claimed they were not aware of any of the resources UC Davis has to offer regarding food and nutrition. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When asked to rank how much each student pays attention to their food choices most students (56.5%) scored themselves a 7/10(70%). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

95.7% of students knew their food choices affected their academic success regardless of the extent of their education on the topic of food.

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 When asked a scientific question regarding protein to test their knowledge of certain food groups only 47.8% of students answered correctly, stating that soy contained the most protein out of the options provided. 

Discussion:

        From the results of the survey, it is possible to conclude that a majority of respondents did not have the food literacy to provide educated food decisions for their health. This can be seen through a 65% of majority of respondents claimed that they would not do well on an exam regarding food and nutrition and 56.5% of respondents scored themselves a 70% on even paying attention to their food choices. Collectively 25% of respondents scored themselves under 70%. This population may tie into the reason that 44% of students on the UC Davis campus face food insecurity. Specifically in college, it can be hard to understand how to navigate obtaining nutritional food for the first time away from home. With a small college town, UC Davis students have many options in downtown Davis, however, making the right choices for one’s health at these locations can be more difficult. With this in my mind, it is important to remember every student’s education of food is hard to measure with a single survey.

           Students come from all types of backgrounds that vary culturally, financially, and socially. Many international students are also facing the transition of assimilating into American culture which has a habit of being extremely processed and chemically formulated. An article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition explains that “Eating more ultra-processed foods is associated with poor diet quality and higher risk of several chronic diseases” (Juul, Parekh, Martinez-Steele, Monteiro, and Chang 3). While the study I conducted is limited in the number of survey respondents it seems that most students have similar attitudes towards nutrition unless they have a specific situation that forces them to pay attention to nutrition or if they are studying food nutrition. In a study conducted on food literacy among college students, the authors conclude that providing more resources such as an introductory food literacy course would help address overall topics within food literacy (Bevan, Wengreen, Dai). A study conducted at a local university found a statistically significant relationship between a student’s nutritional intake and academic success (Burrows, Whatnall, Patterson, Hutchesson). Food literacy allows students to make these well-formulated decisions about nutrition. Providing incoming freshmen with more resources that provide opportunities to educate themselves on the topic of food and nutrition will set each individual up for a healthier transition. College students are always on the go, sometimes it can be difficult to schedule mealtimes or cook food similar to the old lifestyle one might have had in high school. Thus, students are not typically taking the time to understand where their food is coming from, who is obtaining the funds from their purchases, and how beneficial a balanced meal is for their health. 

Conclusion:

         This research paper has explored the general level of food literacy students have at UC Davis. It is clear that a lack of food literacy among students on campus is prevalent. Through this primary research, it can be concluded that many UC Davis students lack food literacy. Despite this research proving that many students have a low level of food literacy on campus, it is important to continue to progress in this research to better generalize the conclusion of this research. Despite the smaller sample size, it is possible to recommend that students should be provided with more introductory courses on topics correlating to food and nutrition and better access to balanced diets. 

      To combat food insecurity and help increase food literacy on campus UC Davis has provided students with many resources. Students have access to The Pantry. This is a student run organization providing basic food essentials to all students and staff who need the support in acquiring foods (The Pantry). A similar resource is the Aggie Compass. This resource provides general help for students in multiple areas of life. The Aggie Compass also guides students to resources such as The Pantry, the Yolo County Food Bank, and Cal Fresh. Cal Fresh is an amazing program that can provide you up to $250 a month for groceries (Leslie). Furthermore, all these resources are provided to students, however, very few students are knowledgeable about the ways they can be more food secure on campus. 

         With proper education on campus and better promotion of these resources to students, especially freshman, UC Davis can raise food literacy rates and decrease food insecurity. By doing this, students will be less stressed in numerous areas and will be able to make better informed choices about their food intake. While UC Davis offers excellent resources to help combat food insecurity on campus the main issue for students is educating themselves on their lack of awareness. Students are unable to seek out these resources if they are not knowledgeable on the areas of nutrition, they are lacking in understanding about.

       Following the conclusion of this research, it deems true that many UC Davis students struggle with a lack of food literacy. Through this research it is apparent that UC Davis students admit to this specific lack of literacy and feel positively about more education on food at UC Davis.  Implementing a food literacy seminar or class could fundamentally foster change for students who are navigating college and trying to balance a healthy relationship with food.

 

 

 

                                                                                Works Cited

 

Bevan, Wengreen. “Increasing Food Literacy among College Students.” Home, nactateachers.org/index.php/volume-64-            2020/2996-increasing-food-literacy-among-college-students.

Burrows, Tracy L, et al. “Associations between Dietary Intake and Academic Achievement in College Students: A                     Systematic Review.” Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), MDPI, 25 Sept. 2017,      

      www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5746694/.                                                   

Juul, Filippa, et al. “Ultra-Processed Food Consumption among US Adults from 2001 to 2018.” OUP Academic, Oxford              University Press, 14 Oct. 2021, academic.oup.com/ajcn/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/ajcn/nqab305/6396017?          redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false.

Kemp, Leslie. “Nutritious Food Resources.” Aggie Compass Basic Needs Center, 31 Aug. 2022,              

       aggiecompass.ucdavis.edu/food-security#food. 

Morgan, Maggie, et al. “Assessing Food Security through Cooking and Food Literacy among Students Enrolled in a Basic           Food Science Lab at Appalachian State University.” Journal of American College Health, 2021, pp. 1–6.,           

         doi:10.1080/07448481.2021.1880414. 

Sarner, R. “The Importance of Food Literacy.” On Food Law, 17 Mar. 2022, onfoodlaw.org/2022/03/17/the-importance-of-f         food-literacy/. 

Truman, Lane, Elliott. “Defining Food Literacy: A Scoping Review.” Appetite, U.S. National Library of Medicine,         

         pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28487244/. 

 Watts, Tom. “Student Food Security Task Force.” UC Davis Leadership, 5 Dec. 2020, leadership.ucdavis.edu/strategic-     

           plan/task-forces/food-access-and-security. 

“Who We Are.” The Pantry, thepantry.ucdavis.edu/about/.