Student Hunger on Campus: Food Insecurity Among College Students and Implications for Academic Institutions

Abstract

Food insecurity among college students is an important public health concern that might have implications for academic performance, retention, and graduation rates. Universities that measure food insecurity among their students will be better positioned to advocate for policy changes at state and federal levels regarding college affordability and student financial assistance.

Food insecurity negatively impacts academic performance

“…Non‐White students, students with lower GPA, and students with lower cognitive abilities tend to provide the least reliable self‐reported GPA values (Kuncel et al, ). Of interest, the two studies with a mainly White sample (Morris et al, ; Patton‐López et al, ) observed an association between food insecurity and university GPA, whereas the two studies with less White participants (Maroto et al, ; Payne‐Sturges et al, ) did not observe an association. To date, no study has examined the association of food insecurity and objective measures of academic performance in university students.…”

“…The prevalence of food insecurity is most concentrated among those students who are at greatest risk for poor academic performance and for leaving school before graduation. Such students are those who receive financial aid, work to pay for university, and receive less family assistance (Gaines, Robb, Knol, & Sickler, ; Payne‐Sturges, Tjaden, Caldeira, Vincent, & Arria, ). As universities aim to promote achievement for a more inclusive range of students, it will be important to understand how stressors encountered by students—such as food insecurity—can detract from academic success (Gaines et al, ; Patton‐López, López‐Cevallos, Cancel‐Tirado, & Vazquez, ; Payne‐Sturges et al, ).…”

“…Food insecurity among young people is associated with a range of negative outcomes, such as poorer eating habits, nutrition, and physical and mental health (Bruening et al, ; Cook et al, ; Eicher‐Miller, Mason, Weaver, McCabe, & Boushey, ; Gallegos, Ramsey, & Ong, ; Hughes, Serebryanikova, Donaldson, & Leveritt, ; Kirkpatrick & Tarasuk, ; Mello et al, ; Payne‐Sturges et al, ; Stuff et al, ). Numerous studies have also shown that food insecurity among schoolchildren is associated with absenteeism from school and lower academic performance across a range of indicators, including standardized test scores, classroom grades, and grade completion (Alaimo, Olson, & Frongillo, ; Belachew et al, ; Bernal, Frongillo, Herrera, & Rivera, ; Jyoti, Frongillo, & Jones, ; Roustit, Hamelin, Grillo, Martin, & Chauvin, ; Winicki & Jemison, ).…”

“…One study also found that university students were more likely to report that they have previously suspended their studies if they were food insecure (Gallegos et al, ). Each of these studies controlled for the students' socioeconomic status in a number of ways, including income (Maroto et al, ; Patton‐López et al, ; Payne‐Sturges et al, ) and living situation (Gallegos et al, ; Maroto et al, ). These studies did not control for another potential confounder—students' high school academic performance.…”

“…Additionally, food-insecure university students are less likely to consume breakfast than their food-secure counterparts (Bruening, Brenhoffer, et al, 2016;Bruening et al, 2018), and breakfast consumption is positively associated with academic performance (Rampersaud, Pereira, Girard, Adams, & Metzl, 2005). Food-insecure students report higher levels of stress, depression, and anxiety than food-secure students (Bruening, Brenhoffer, et al, 2016;Bruening et al, 2018;Payne-Sturges et al, 2017), which are inversely associated with academic performance (Andrews & Wilding, 2004;Eisenberg, Golberstein, & Hunt, 2009;Payne-Sturges et al, 2017;Stewart, Lam, Betson, Wong, & Wong, 1999;Struthers, Perry, & Menec, 2000). Additionally, physical activity is positively associated with academic outcomes (Field, Miguel, & Sanders, 2001;Gibbison, Henry, & Perkins-Brown, 2011); food-insecure students are less likely to report their physical activity habits as healthy (Bruening et al, 2018).…”