The Role of Food Security as a Social Determinant of Mental Health in College Students

The lack of statistical significance does not rule out a meaningful relationship between food and psychological distress. Larger sample sizes, longitudinal studies, and the inclusion of impacting variables such as financial supports are warranted to get an accurate assessment of our current student needs. Developing targeted interventions addressing both nutrition and mental health are essential to improve student well-being at a critical "gateway" period-habits and health challenges that emerge in this life stage often influence lifelong health trajectories.