Food Insecurity Among Community College Students: Prevalence and Association With Grade Point Average

Abstract

This study investigated the prevalence of food insecurity among community college students (N = 301) and the relationship between food insecurity and student grade point average (GPA). It employed a cross-sectional intercept survey, utilizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Survey Module, student self-reported GPA, and demographic variables. The research setting was two community colleges in Maryland-one located in a low income urban area and one located in an affluent suburban area. Results demonstrate that 56% of the students in the overall sample were classified as food insecure. Students at higher risk of food insecurity included those who reported living alone and those who reported being single parents. Students identifying themselves as African American or as multiracial were also at increased risk for food insecurity. Food insecure students were more likely than food secure students to report a lower GPA (2.0-2.49) versus a higher GPA (3.5-4.0). Data suggest that food insecurity is an issue for a large percentage of the community college student sample. Food insecurity may have adverse effects on student academic performance and is a factor to be considered by college administrators, faculty, and students.

Addressing Community College Completion Rates by Securing Students’ Basic Needs

“…Basic needs insecurity compromises community college students’ performance in school (Broton, ; Maroto, Snelling, & Linck, ), negatively impacting their grades and chances of persisting and graduating. Students who experience basic needs insecurity report higher rates of missing classes and study sessions, opting out of extracurricular activities, not buying required books, and dropping classes due to hunger and housing problems (Mercado, ).…”

Connecting College Students to Alternative Sources of Support: The Single Stop Community College Initiative and Postsecondary Outcomes

“…There are physical and psychological consequences associated with food and housing insecurity (Evans, Wells, and Moch, 2003;GoldrickRab, Broton, and Eisenberg, 2015;Melchior et al, 2009), which might harm academic performance. For example, Maroto, Snelling, and Linck (2015) found that food insecurity is associated with lower grade point averages (GPAs) among community college students. A 2010 survey of City University of New York (CUNY) students found that more than two in five reported housing-insecurity issues, including not having enough money to pay rent and being evicted .…”

Responses to Hunger on the Community College Campus

“…The negative deficiencies (inattention, distractibility, fatigue) associated with inadequate nutrition have been known in K‐12 students since the 1970s (Alaimo, Frongillo, & Olson, ). Among community college students, food insecurity has also been shown to be related to poorer academic performance (Maroto, Snelling, & Linck, ). Some educators have attempted to alleviate food insecurity through the provision of campus‐based food banks or food pantries (Twill, Bergdahl, & Fensler, ; Dubick, Mathews, & Cady, ).…”