Examining the association of student mental health and food security with college GPA

The Association between Food Security Status and Psychological Distress and Loneliness among Full-Time Undergraduate Students at a Minority-Serving Institution

“…Thus, our findings contribute context-specific data for full-time undergraduate students at a minority-serving institution, which can inform future research and programming for campuses serving historically-marginalized students. The lack of research on food security status and loneliness is notable, as students who are less integrated into campus life or who are experiencing high levels of loneliness are more likely to have lower GPAs, potentially because loneliness may negatively impact student motivation to perform well in school and increase the risk of students dropping out [ 34 ]. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic, and resulting public health measures for social distancing, may have exacerbated levels of loneliness among undergraduate students [ 35 ], emphasizing the importance of integrating social interactions with peers as a part of campus responses to promote undergraduate student well-being and success [ 3 ], especially for students from historically-marginalized backgrounds.…”

Methods for Assessing Health Outcomes Associated with Food Insecurity in the United States College Student Population: A Narrative Review

“…↑ Psychological distress 2. ↑ Discrimination Marmolejo et al., 2022 [ 91 ] 48,103 Multiple United States universities (ACHA-NCHA n = 75) Female: 68.5% Non-White: 37.7% FI: 40.7% 6-item 1. Psychological well-being 2.…”

“…In the experience of FI in college students, psychological distress was measured using the Diener Flourishing Scale, which measures various aspects of human functioning, such as positive relationships, life purpose, and feelings of competence [ 90 ]. Studies using the Diener Flourishing Scale found that college students with FI had significantly higher psychological distress than their FS counterparts [ 30 , 91 , 92 ]. Psychological well-being was also assessed in select studies through the Kessler-6 Scale [ 93 ] or the WHO Five Factor Well-being Index [ 94 ], in which individuals experiencing FI had lower overall psychological well-being than FS peers [ 91 , 92 , [94] , [95] , [96] , [97] , [98] ].…”

“…Studies using the Diener Flourishing Scale found that college students with FI had significantly higher psychological distress than their FS counterparts [ 30 , 91 , 92 ]. Psychological well-being was also assessed in select studies through the Kessler-6 Scale [ 93 ] or the WHO Five Factor Well-being Index [ 94 ], in which individuals experiencing FI had lower overall psychological well-being than FS peers [ 91 , 92 , [94] , [95] , [96] , [97] , [98] ]. A more general mental health assessment through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Healthy Days Core Module found that college students with FI were at an increased risk for poor mental health status [ [99] , [100] , [101] ].…”

“…It was observed that anxiety symptoms increased with the experience of FI in the college student population, independent of the measurement tool used [ 100 , 104 , 108 , 109 ]. Additional psychological outcomes associated with depression and anxiety include feelings of loneliness [ 91 , 92 , 95 , 106 , 110 ], hopelessness [ 104 ], resiliency [ 92 , 106 ], discrimination [ 97 , 111 ], pain [ 79 , 109 ], and suicidal behaviors [ 92 ], all of which were measured by validated subjective assessments and were negatively impacted by the experience of FI ( Table 2 ).…”