FOOD/HEALTH/ MIGRATION
The research was conducted by interviewing subjects in person and by surveying subjects via Google Forms. Why these methods? I believe that, although surveys do provide efficient data, interviews involve a more humanistic appeal. Surveys can present quantitative data better than interviews, however, and are quicker and easier to conduct.
For both cases, the subjects were college students, primarily Lehman College students, and all subjects and responses were kept anonymous. A total of 4 students were interviewed in person, and as of now, 34 survey responses were collected. The conversations took place on campus, and were recorded with a cellular phone. The interview questions were predetermined, but also depended on the context of each individual interview (i.e., the interview with J included a question that connected body image among the track and field community which was not a mandatory question to ask regarding the predetermined set of questions). The interview questions covered topics such as: general (demographic information including occupation and residency status), migration, food preferences and food security, health, and body image. The in-person interview questions included (bolded questions were mandatory to ask, unbolded questions were optional):
The survey was created as a Google Form. The survey questions were influenced by the April 2019 #RealCollege Survey Report conducted by The Hope Center, the 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Body Image Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. The aim of the survey was to explore the relationships between food security, eating patterns and commuting patterns, and body image amongst college students. Partners that were involved in advertising this survey were the Office of Prestigious Awards, the Lehman Food Pantry*, and the Lehman College Leonard Lief Library. This survey was made available in both electronic and physical formats. The first two partners both distributed physical copies of the survey. The second method was voluntary sampling which required borrowing an iPad from the library and encountering potential participants in the school cafeteria. In addition, other methods were used to broadcast the Google Form, including social media such as mass emails and networking. The sample size turned out to be a total of 34 subjects. Although a rather small sample size, it can be expanded upon if the survey is used by other parties pursuing the same research in the future.
* Results are yet to be determined by this organization.
Below are screenshots of the Google Form survey questions that were asked:
For both cases, the subjects were college students, primarily Lehman College students, and all subjects and responses were kept anonymous. A total of 4 students were interviewed in person, and as of now, 34 survey responses were collected. The conversations took place on campus, and were recorded with a cellular phone. The interview questions were predetermined, but also depended on the context of each individual interview (i.e., the interview with J included a question that connected body image among the track and field community which was not a mandatory question to ask regarding the predetermined set of questions). The interview questions covered topics such as: general (demographic information including occupation and residency status), migration, food preferences and food security, health, and body image. The in-person interview questions included (bolded questions were mandatory to ask, unbolded questions were optional):
- What is your age?
- What is your gender? Pronouns?
- What is your racial or ethnic background?
- Where were you born?
- Do you strongly identify with your roots? Why or why not?
- Do you feel a close connection to your homeland?
- When was the last time you have visited your homeland? Did it change a lot?
- Do you have family living there?
- What is your favorite part about your homeland? Least favorite part?
- What is your college enrollment status?
- What is your occupation/job?
- How many hours a week do you work?
- Do you plan to stick with the same occupation? Why or why not?
- How stressful is your occupation from a scale of 1 to 5? 1 being barely stressful and 5 being extremely stressful.
- Do you have a lunch break? Are you able to eat take breaks and snacks? Does it interfere with your eating schedule?
- What is your current civil status (are you a US citizen)? Your family's?
- Have you migrated? If so, where to and from?
- What sort of feelings did/do you encounter before, after, or during migration? Stress? Fatigue? Happiness? Relief?
- Why did/do you migrate? (Family, work, lifestyle, politics, etc.)
- Were you alone or with family?
- Do you commute? How do you commute?
- Do you commute to work, school, etc? Do you commute frequently? In the mornings? During rush hour? At night? Describe feelings or moods you experience when commuting.
- Do you eat on your commute? Do you like or dislike eating on your commute? Why?
- What foods do you like/dislike?
- Is (Are) there a personal or emotional reason(s) behind your choice(s)?
- What is your culture’s cuisine like?
- What are your favorite/least favorite dishes?
- Do you know any recipes? Were they passed down by someone in your family?
- Do you cook? If so, do you cook your culture’s cuisine on a frequent basis? Why or why not?
- In your experience, does financial security affect how you make food choices?
- How about your family’s food choices?
- Do you worry about running out of food?
- Do you consider your diet to be balanced nutritionally?
- Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had to cut the size of meals or skip meals?
- Have you ever ate less due to not having enough food? Have you faced health consequences as a result?
- Please provide a story or an example of when you felt the most or least secure regarding food security.
- What is your definition of health?
- Do you have allergies, intolerances, or health issues related to diet?
- Why do you think you may have these? (i.e, genetics, environmental factors, unknown factors)
- What did your doctor say?
- 16) How would you rate your overall health? 1 = poor, 5 = excellent
- How would others rate your overall health? (for example, your doctor, your family)
- 17) Why did you rate your overall health with this number?
- How do you think you can improve your overall health? Why?
- Have you tried to improve your overall health? Why or why not? If yes, how?
- Any current or past health problems? (can refer to mental health as well, can be any problem on any level)
- Do they prevent you from living your best life?
- What do you think is the source of the health issue?
- What do your doctors say? Do they focus more on the physical or mental components of the health issue?
- Do you think your food choices affect your health problems in either a positive or negative way or both?
- What is your perspective of Western idealizations and values regarding body image? What about your family's?
- Has the Western cultural emphasis on thinness/dieting/exercise have clashed with your culture's ideals of beauty and health?
The survey was created as a Google Form. The survey questions were influenced by the April 2019 #RealCollege Survey Report conducted by The Hope Center, the 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Body Image Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. The aim of the survey was to explore the relationships between food security, eating patterns and commuting patterns, and body image amongst college students. Partners that were involved in advertising this survey were the Office of Prestigious Awards, the Lehman Food Pantry*, and the Lehman College Leonard Lief Library. This survey was made available in both electronic and physical formats. The first two partners both distributed physical copies of the survey. The second method was voluntary sampling which required borrowing an iPad from the library and encountering potential participants in the school cafeteria. In addition, other methods were used to broadcast the Google Form, including social media such as mass emails and networking. The sample size turned out to be a total of 34 subjects. Although a rather small sample size, it can be expanded upon if the survey is used by other parties pursuing the same research in the future.
* Results are yet to be determined by this organization.
Below are screenshots of the Google Form survey questions that were asked: