(P28-001-25) Longitudinal Impacts of Food Insecurity on Academic Distress Among College Students

Objectives: Food insecurity (FI) among college students often exceeds national averages and has been negatively associated with well-being and academic success. Yet, most research has relied on cross-sectional data leaving gaps in understanding how changes in FI over time may influence academic outcomes. This study determined longitudinal variability in FI status over two years among college students and examined associations with academic distress.

Methods: Data were drawn from a larger study on college student relationships and experiences. The sample included N = 1187 students enrolled part- or full-time across 20 campuses, who provided data in 2023 and 2024. In both years, FI and food security (FS) status were assessed using the USDA 6-item screener. Based on FI/FS status, students were categorized into 4 groups: persistent FI, became food secure, became food insecure, and persistent FS. Academic distress was measured in year 2 using 4 items (e.g., “I feel confident that I can succeed academically”). Fixed effects models were used to examine whether FI in either year was associated with higher academic distress (main effects) and whether having persistent or variable FI was associated with greater academic distress (interaction).

Results: Approximately 2 in 5 students reported having FI in either year, with 22% having persistent FI. Students who experienced FI in either year, compared to students with FS, demonstrated greater academic distress, F = 14.52 to 67.69, p</em>'s < .001, with a larger difference in year 2 (M_diff = 0.53, p < .001). A significant interaction revealed that students with FI in either year experienced greater academic distress compared to those with persistent FS, F = 8.21, p = .004, with the greatest academic distress experienced by those with persistent FI.

Conclusions: Students who experienced FI in either year faced greater distress with academic coursework compared to their FS peers, and persistent FI was linked to the most severe academic distress. These findings further highlight FI as a significant barrier to students’ ability to confidently and competently focus on coursework and points toward a need for university-level interventions to reduce FI. Future research is needed to examine whether protective or risk factors (e.g., social support, anxiety) alter this association.

Funding Sources: Funded by internal grants at Pennsylvania State University