Food insecurity negatively impacts academic performance

Abstract

Recent research has documented high rates of food insecurity among university students, particularly students in their first year. Food insecurity among university students has been linked to poorer self‐reported health and academic outcomes. However, few studies have linked reports of food insecurity to objective student outcomes. In this study, we examine how food insecurity is associated with first‐year university students' (n = 591) academic performance, adjusting for objective measures of high school academic performance and self‐reported indicators of socioeconomic background. Zero‐ and one‐inflated beta regression was used to examine if food insecurity predicted grade point average (GPA) in the fall 2015 and spring 2016 semesters. Logistic regression was used to determine if food insecurity at the end of the fall 2015 and spring 2016 semesters was a predictor of retention to fall 2016. Food‐insecure students had a significantly lower GPA than food‐secure students. In fall 2015, 59% of food‐insecure students obtained at least a “B” grade (GPA = 3.00); our models suggest this percentage would increase to 72% if these same students were food secure. Food‐insecure students were less likely to be enrolled in fall 2016 than food‐secure students (OR = 0.72, 95% CI [0.41, 1.27]), though this difference was not statistically significant. These results indicate that food insecurity negatively impacts first‐year university students' academic performance, even after adjusting for high school academic performance and socioeconomic background. Students GPA, and potentially university retention rates, may increase if food insecurity on campus is minimized.

WISH4Campus: Evaluating College Food Insecurity and Promoting Solutions for Student Wellbeing

“…A majority of research investigates food insecurity's impact on academics through GPA, with food insecure students commonly reporting lower GPA's compared to their food secure counterparts [28,122,124,127,129,132,143,145]. Other research has investigated specific academic behaviors including class attendance, attention span, comprehension of class materials, and progress towards graduation with food insecure students again showing worse academic performance compared to food secure students [26,33,145]. The research in this dissertation investigated both GPA and other academic behaviors and agrees with previous research that food insecure students are left with detrimental effects on their scholastic performance.…”

“…These variables include age [129,143], gender [24,26,131], cooking and food purchasing behaviors [26,133], having a meal plan [132,134], and level of employment [28,132,145]. As there is no clear consensus within the literature, more research is needed before it is understood if a relationship exists among these variables and college students who experience food insecurity.…”

“…Several studies have examined the relationship between food insecurity and college student academic accomplishments. It has been reported that food insecure college students are more likely to have lower GPA's compared to their food secure counterparts [28,122,124,127,129,132,143,145]. Phillips et al (2018) reported that food insecurity is associated with a 0.17 point lower GPA [129].…”

“…(2014) found that college students reporting above a 3.0 were 60% less likely to be food insecure and Wooten et al (2018) further stated that students reporting below a 3.0 were 2.9 times more likely to be food insecure compared to students with higher a GPA [28,132]. Beyond GPA, other authors have investigated food insecurity's impact on college students' academic behaviors [26,33,145]. McArthur et al (2018) utilized a 4item Academic Progress Scale (APS) to measure college students perceived academic performance [26].…”

“…This poor academic performance can not only interfere with a college students progress towards degree attainment but may derail it all together. Van Woerden, Hrushchka, and Bruening (2018) followed freshman throughout their first year of college and reported that food insecure students were 28% less likely to be enrolled the following year compared to food secure students [145]. [120].…”