Keywords
nutrition education
food insecurity
student wellness
academic success
dietary behaviour
How to Cite
Abstract
This quasi-experimental study assessed the influence of introductory nutrition courses on dietary habits, nutrition knowledge, food security, attention, and wellness among international and Canadian domestic students. Participants were students from a mid-sized public college in Ontario, Canada, enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences. The main outcome measures included dietary behaviour, nutrition literacy, food security, attention, and wellness. Two-way repeated measures ANOVAs were used to test the difference in mean outcome measures at the different points in time (week 1 and 14) and between groups (student category). Correlations between these measures and final academic grades were determined. Post nutrition courses, there was a significant rise in nutrition literacy (p < .05) and attention (p < .05). However, these gains did not correspond to measurable changes in dietary behaviour (p > .05). Wellness scores did not significantly increase over time (p > .05); however, international students reported significantly higher wellness scores than domestic students at both measurement points (p < .05). A negative correlation (p < .05) was observed between food insecurity and academic performance. Participation in introductory nutrition courses was associated with improvements in nutrition literacy and attention among both international and domestic students. These findings support the inclusion of nutrition education within post-secondary curricula while underscoring the importance of institutional strategies that address student food insecurity.
References
Adan, R. A. H., van der Beek, E. M., Buitelaar, J. K., Cryan, J. F., Hebebrand, J., Higgs, S., Schellekens, H., & Dickson, S. L. (2019). Nutritional psychiatry: Towards improving mental health by what you eat. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 29(12), 1321–1332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.10.011
Agrawal, R., & Gomez-Pinilla, F. (2012). ‘Metabolic syndrome’ in the brain: deficiency in omega-3 fatty acid exacerbates dysfunctions in insulin receptor signalling and cognition. The Journal of Physiology, 590(10), 2485–2499. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2012.230078
Ahmad, N. S. S., Sulaiman, N., & Sabri, M. F. (2021). Food Insecurity: Is It a Threat to University Students’ Well-Being and Success? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(11), 5627. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115627
Ahmad, N. S. S., Sulaiman, N., & Sabri, M. F. (2022). Psychosocial Factors as Mediator to Food Security Status and Academic Performance among University Students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), 5535. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095535
Aitken, B., & MacMahon, C. (2019). Shared Demands Between Cognitive and Physical Tasks May Drive Negative Effects of Fatigue: A Focused Review. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 1, 45. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2019.00045
Alakaam, A., & Willyard, A. (2020). Eating habits and dietary acculturation effects among international college students in the United States. AIMS Public Health, 7(2), 228–240. https://doi.org/10.3934/publichealth.2020020
Barnard-Brak, L., Paton, V. O., & Lan, W. Y. (2010). Profiles in self-regulated learning in the online learning environment. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 11(1), 61–80. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v11i1.769
Bauch, C., Torheim, L. E., Almendingen, K., Molin, M., & Terragni, L. (2023). Food habits and forms of food insecurity among international university students in Oslo: A qualitative study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2694. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032694
Brace, A. M., De Andrade, F. C., & Finkelstein, B. (2018). Assessing the effectiveness of nutrition interventions implemented among US college students to promote healthy behaviors: A systematic review. Nutrition and Health, 24(3), 171–181. https://doi.org/10.1177/0260106018785528
Brown, O. N., O’Connor, L. E., & Savaiano, D. (2014). Mobile MyPlate: a pilot study using text messaging to provide nutrition education and promote better dietary choices in college students. Journal of American College Health, 62(5), 320-327. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2014.899233
Bruening, M., Argo, K., Payne-Sturges, D., & Laska, M. N. (2017). The Struggle Is Real: A Systematic Review of Food Insecurity on Postsecondary Education Campuses. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117(11), 1767–1791. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2017.05.022
Calder, M. J., Richter, S., Mao, Y., Burns KK, Mogale, R. S., & Danko, M. (2016). International students attending Canadian universities: their experiences with housing, finances, and other issues. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 46(2), 92–110. https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.v46i2.184585
Case, A., & Deaton, A. (2017). Mortality and morbidity in the 21(st) century. Brookings Pap Econ Act, 2017, 397–476. https://doi.org/10.1353/eca.2017.0005
Choi, S., Gudmunson, C. G., Griesdorn, T. S., & Hong, G.-S. (2016). Assessing college student needs for comprehensive financial counseling. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 27(2), 158–171. https://doi.org/10.1891/1052-3073.27.2.158
Clough, B. A., Nazareth, S. M., Day, J. J., & Casey, L. M. (2019). A comparison of mental health literacy, attitudes, and help-seeking intentions among domestic and international tertiary students. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 47(1), 123–135. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2018.1459473
Coffino, J. A., Spoor, S. P., Drach, R. D., & Hormes, J. M. (2021). Food insecurity among graduate students: prevalence and association with depression, anxiety and stress. Public Health Nutrition, 24(7), 1889–1894. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980020002001
Colatruglio, S., & Slater, J. (2016). Challenges to acquiring and utilizing food literacy: Perceptions of young Canadian adults. Canadian Food Studies/La Revue canadienne des études sur l’alimentation, 3(1), 96–118. https://doi.org/10.15353/cfs-rcea.v3i1.72
Cooke, R., & Papadaki, A. (2014). Nutrition label use mediates the positive relationship between nutrition knowledge and attitudes towards healthy eating with dietary quality among university students in the UK. Appetite, 83, 297–303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.08.039
Cowburn, G., & Stockley, L. (2005). Consumer understanding and use of nutrition labelling: a systematic review. Public Health Nutrition, 8(1), 21–28. https://doi.org/10.1079/phn2005666
Dancey, E., Harrison, H., & Williams-Bell, M. (2024). Walk the Talk: The Impact of Health Promotion and Wellness Curriculum on Wellness, Motivation, Learning, and Academic Success in Pre-Service Fitness and Health Professionals. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 15(3), 7. https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.3.16638
Daud, N. A. M., Yusuf, H. M., Ahmad, N., & Sa’ad, F. (2017). A descriptive study of wellness among undergraduate students in a public university in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(10), 533–542. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v7-i10/3407
Davison, K. M., Gondara, L., & Kaplan, B. J. (2017). Food Insecurity, Poor Diet Quality, and Suboptimal Intakes of Folate and Iron Are Independently Associated with Perceived Mental Health in Canadian Adults. Nutrients, 9(3), 274. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9030274
de Boer, H., Donker-Bergstra, A. S., Kostons, D., Korpershoek, H., & Van der Werf, M. P. (2012). Effective strategies for self-regulated learning: A meta-analysis. GION onderzoek/onderwijs. https://pure.rug.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/54332660/Effective_Strategies_for_Self_regulated_Learning.pdf
de Bruin, E. I., Meppelink, R., & Bögels, S. M. (2015). Mindfulness in higher education: Awareness and attention in university students increase during and after participation in a mindfulness curriculum course. Mindfulness, 6(5), 1137–1142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-014-0364-5
de Moissac, D., Graham, J. M., Prada, K., Gueye, N. R., & Rocque, R. (2020). Mental health status and help-seeking strategies of international students in Canada. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 50(4), 52–71. https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.vi0.188815
Eisenberg, D. (2019). Countering the Troubling Increase in Mental Health Symptoms Among U.S. College Students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65(5), 573–574. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.08.003
Emerson, S. D., & Carbert, N. S. (2019). An apple a day: Protective associations between nutrition and the mental health of immigrants in Canada. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 54(5), 567–578. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-018-1616-9
Farahbakhsh, J., Hanbazaza, M., Ball, G. D. C., Farmer, A. P., Maximova, K., & Willows, N. D. (2017). Food insecure student clients of a university-based food bank have compromised health, dietary intake and academic quality. Nutrition & Dietetics, 74(1), 67–73. https://doi.org/10.1111/1747-0080.12307
Forbes-Mewett, H., & Sawyer, A.-M. (2019). International students and mental health. Journal of International Students, 6(3), 661–677. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v6i3.348
Freudenberg, N., Goldrick-Rab, S., & Poppendieck, J. (2019). College Students and SNAP: The New Face of Food Insecurity in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 109(12), 1652–1658. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305332
Graham, D. J., & Laska, M. N. (2012). Nutrition label use partially mediates the relationship between attitude toward healthy eating and overall dietary quality among college students. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 112(3), 414–418. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2011.08.047
Hagedorn, R. L., & Olfert, M. D. (2018). Food Insecurity and Behavioral Characteristics for Academic Success in Young Adults Attending an Appalachian University. Nutrients, 10(3), 361. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10030361
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. (2026). International students (CIMM briefing report). Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/committees/cimm-apr-22-2026/international-students.html
Jääskeläinen, E. (2024). (Version 0.14.1) [Computer software]. JASP Team. https://jasp-stats.org/
Judah, M. R., Grant, D. M., Mills, A. C., & Lechner, W. V. (2014). Factor structure and validation of the Attentional Control Scale. Cognition and Emotion, 28(3), 433–451. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2013.835254
Jung, T., Huang, J., Eagan, L., & Oldenburg, D. (2019). Influence of school-based nutrition education program on healthy eating literacy and healthy food choice among primary school children. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 57(2), 67–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2018.1552177
Kennedy, S., Kidd, M. P., McDonald, J. T., & Biddle, N. (2015). The healthy immigrant effect: patterns and evidence from four countries. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 16(2), 317–332. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-014-0340-x
Keyes, C. L., Eisenberg, D., Perry, G. S., Dube, S. R., Kroenke, K., & Dhingra, S. S. (2012). The relationship of level of positive mental health with current mental disorders in predicting suicidal behavior and academic impairment in college students. Journal of American College Health, 60(2), 126–133. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2011.608393
Krause, C. G., Beer-Borst, S., Sommerhalder, K., Hayoz, S., & Abel, T. (2018). A short food literacy questionnaire (SFLQ) for adults: Findings from a Swiss validation study. Appetite, 120, 275–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.08.039
Krendl, A. C., & Pescosolido, B. A. (2020). Countries and cultural differences in the stigma of mental illness: the east–west divide. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 51(2), 149–167. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022119901297
Kusurkar, R. A., Ten Cate, T. J., van Asperen, M., & Croiset, G. (2011). Motivation as an independent and a dependent variable in medical education: a review of the literature. Medical Teacher, 33(5), e242–262. https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2011.558539
Lagacé-Leblanc, J., Massé, L., & Rousseau, N. (2022). Academic Impairments Faced by College Students with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 35(2), 131–144. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1364189
Landry, M. J., Heying, E., Qamar, Z., Hagedorn-Hatfield, R. L., Savoie-Roskos, M. R., Cuite, C. L., Zigmont, V. A., OoNorasak, K., & Chen, S. (2024). Advancing college food security: priority research gaps. Nutrition Research Reviews, 37(1), 108–120. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954422423000094
Lashari, S. A., Awang-Hashim, R., Lashari, T. A., & Kaur, A. (2023). Acculturation stress and social support for international students’ adjustment in Malaysia: does language proficiency matter? Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 15(2), 496–508. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-07-2021-0285
Laska, M. N., Lenk, K., Lust, K., McGuire, C. M., Porta, C. M., & Stebleton, M. (2021). Sociodemographic and health disparities among students screening positive for food insecurity: Findings from a large college health surveillance system. Preventive Medicine Reports, 21, 101297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101297
Lee, S. D., Hanbazaza, M., Ball, G. D., Farmer, A., Maximova, K., & Willows, N. D. (2018). Food insecurity among postsecondary students in developed countries: A narrative review. British Food Journal, 120(11), 2660–2680. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-08-2017-0450
Lemberger, M. E., & Clemens, E. V. (2012). Connectedness and Self‐Regulation as Constructs of the Student Success Skills Program in Inner‐City African American Elementary School Students. Journal of Counseling & Development, 90(4), 450–458. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.2012.00056.x
Lieberman, D. A., & Remedios, R. (2007). Do undergraduates’ motives for studying change as they progress through their degrees? British Journal of Educational Psychology, 77(2), 379–395. https://doi.org/10.1348/000709906X157772
Lu, C., & Ng, E. (2019). Healthy immigrant effect by immigrant category in Canada. Health Rep, 30(4), 3–11. https://doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x201900400001-eng
Lu, S., Perez, L., Leslein, A., & Hatsu, I. (2019). The Relationship between Food Insecurity and Symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children: A Summary of the Literature. Nutrients, 11(3), 659. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030659
Mansour, R., John, J. R., Liamputtong, P., & Arora, A. (2021). Food Insecurity and Food Label Comprehension among Libyan Migrants in Australia. Nutrients, 13(7), 2433. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072433
Marques, E. S., Reichenheim, M. E., de Moraes, C. L., Antunes, M. M., & Salles-Costa, R. (2015). Household food insecurity: a systematic review of the measuring instruments used in epidemiological studies. Public Health Nutrition, 18(5), 877–892. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980014001050
McArthur, L. H., Ball, L., Danek, A. C., & Holbert, D. (2018). A High Prevalence of Food Insecurity Among University Students in Appalachia Reflects a Need for Educational Interventions and Policy Advocacy. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 50(6), 564–572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2017.10.011
McCabe, J. A., Banasik, C. S., Jackson, M. G., Postlethwait, E. M., Steitz, A., & Wenzel, A. R. (2023). Exploring perceptions of cognitive load and mental fatigue in pandemic-era zoom classes. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 11(2), 231–246. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000347
Mycek, M. K., Hardison-Moody, A., Bloom, J. D., Bowen, S., & Elliott, S. (2020). Learning to eat the “right” way: examining nutrition socialization from the perspective of immigrants and refugees. Food, Culture & Society, 23(1), 46–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/15528014.2019.1700681
Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2005). Five Factor Wellness Inventory (FFWEL) [Database record]. APA PsycTests. https://doi.org/10.1037/t06468-000
Nagorny, K., Welch, M., Rosenberg, L., Chowdhury, U., Bubis, S., & Begdache, L. (2023). The impact of food insecurity on academic motivation. Physiology, 38(S1), 5729671. https://doi.org/10.1152/physiol.2023.38.S1.5729671
Natour, N., Al-Tell, M., & Ikhdour, O. (2021). Nutrition literacy is associated with income and place of residence but not with diet behavior and food security in the Palestinian society. BMC Nutrition, 7(1), 78. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-021-00479-3
Oh, H., Smith, L., Jacob, L., Du, J., Shin, J. I., Zhou, S., & Koyanagi, A. (2022). Food insecurity and mental health among young adult college students in the United States. Journal of Affective Disorders, 303, 359–363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.02.009
Ozone, S., Haruta, J., Takayashiki, A., Maeno, T., & Maeno, T. (2020). Students’ understanding of social determinants of health in a community-based curriculum: a general inductive approach for qualitative data analysis. BMC Medical Education, 20(1), 470. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02391-z
Palmer, L. (2013). The relationship between stress, fatigue, and cognitive functioning. College Student Journal, 47(2), 312–325.
Paxton, A. E., Strycker, L. A., Toobert, D. J., Ammerman, A. S., & Glasgow, R. E. (2011). Starting the conversation performance of a brief dietary assessment and intervention tool for health professionals. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 40(1), 67–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2010.10.009
Pilli, B., & Slater, J. (2021). Food experiences and dietary patterns of international students at a Canadian university. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 82(3), 100–106. https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2021-006
Puth, M.-T., Neuhäuser, M., & Ruxton, G. D. (2015). Effective use of Spearman’s and Kendall’s correlation coefficients for association between two measured traits. Animal Behaviour, 102, 77–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.01.010
Quigley, L., Wright, C. A., Dobson, K. S., & Sears, C. R. (2017). Measuring attentional control ability or beliefs? Evaluation of the factor structure and convergent validity of the attentional control scale. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 39(4), 742–754. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-017-9617-7
Rasberry, C. N., Chaney, B. H., Housman, J. M., Misra, R., & Miller, P. J. (2007). Determinants of nutrition label use among college students. American Journal of Health Education, 38(2), 76–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2007.10598947
Raskind, I. G., Haardorfer, R., & Berg, C. J. (2019). Food insecurity, psychosocial health and academic performance among college and university students in Georgia, USA. Public Health Nutrition, 22(3), 476–485. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980018003439
Ravinder, E. B., & Saraswathi, A. (2020). Literature review of Cronbach alpha coefficient (Α) and Mcdonald’s omega coefficient (Ω). European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine, 7(6), 2943–2949. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35489.53603
Salman, K., Turek, J. M., & Donovan, C. (2021). Community Health and Wellness Fair: A strategy for Assessment of Social Determinants of Health, Inclusion and Engagement of Newcomers. Journal of Community Health, 46(3), 527–537. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-020-00901-0
Sasson, I., & Hayward, M. D. (2019). Association Between Educational Attainment and Causes of Death Among White and Black US Adults, 2010-2017. JAMA, 322(8), 756–763. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.11330
Sawir, E., Marginson, S., Deumert, A., Nyland, C., & Ramia, G. (2007). Loneliness and international students: An Australian study. Journal of Studies in International Education, 12(2), 148–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315307299699
Shi, Y., Davies, A., & Allman-Farinelli, M. (2021). The Association Between Food Insecurity and Dietary Outcomes in University Students: A Systematic Review. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 121(12), 2475–2500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2021.07.015
Silva, M. R., Kleinert, W. L., Sheppard, A. V., Cantrell, K. A., Freeman-Coppadge, D. J., Tsoy, E., Roberts, T., & Pearrow, M. (2017). The relationship between food security, housing stability, and school performance among college students in an urban university. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 19(3), 284–299. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025115621918
Silva, P. (2023). Food and Nutrition Literacy: Exploring the Divide between Research and Practice. Foods, 12(14), 2751. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12142751
Silva, P., Araujo, R., Lopes, F., & Ray, S. (2023). Nutrition and Food Literacy: Framing the Challenges to Health Communication. Nutrients, 15(22), 4708. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15224708
van Woerden, I., Hruschka, D., Vega-Lomicronpez, S., Schaefer, D. R., Adams, M., & Bruening, M. (2019). Food Insecure College Students and Objective Measurements of Their Unused Meal Plans. Nutrients, 11(4), 904. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11040904
Wang, Y., St-Germain, A. F., & Tarasuk, V. (2023). Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of food insecurity among post-secondary students and non-students of similar age in Canada. BMC Public Health, 23(1), 954. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15756-y
Ward, A., Stedge, H., & Tischler, D. (2022). Students’ experience of a college wellness course. Health Education Journal, 81(5), 529–539. https://doi.org/10.1177/00178969221092732
Yakushko, O., Davidson, M. M., & Sanford‐Martens, T. C. (2008). Seeking help in a foreign land: International students’ use patterns for a US university counseling center. Journal of College Counseling, 11(1), 6–18. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1882.2008.tb00020.x
Zhao, J., Xue, L., & Gilkinson, T. (2010). Health status and social capital of recent immigrants in Canada. In T. McDonald, E. Ruddick, & A. Sweetman (Eds.), Canadian immigration: Economic evidence for a dynamic policy environment. McGill-Queen’s University Press.
Zwierczyk, U., Kobryn, M., & Duplaga, M. (2022). Validation of the Short Food Literacy Questionnaire in the Representative Sample of Polish Internet Users. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9710. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159710
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Erin Dancey, Sylvia Emmorey, Asila Halilovic, Harrison Moir