# The Association between Food Insecurity and Academic Performance among Higher Education Students: A Systematic Review

## TL;DR

This review finds that food insecurity is common among college students and is strongly linked to worse academic performance, especially in the US and other countries.

## Contribution

This study provides a cross-national synthesis of food insecurity's impact on academic performance in higher education students.

## Key findings

- Food insecurity affects 44.03% of higher education students globally.
- Most studies (91.5%) found a negative link between food insecurity and academic performance.
- Results varied by country, with some studies showing no significant association.

## Abstract

Food insecurity is a concern in Higher Education globally, negatively impacting academic performance, and limiting the potential and aspirations of vulnerable groups of students. Previous reviews have focused primarily on the prevalence of food insecurity in high-income countries. The current review aimed to provide a cross-national synthesis of quantitative evidence of the association between food insecurity and academic performance among students aged 18 years and older. A comprehensive search of six electronic databases was conducted for published peer-reviewed articles up to May 31, 2025. The Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal tools were used to provide a quality assessment of the studies, and evidence synthesis was achieved by a vote-counting approach.

Forty-seven studies were included; the majority were cross-sectional (N = 46) and conducted in the United States of America (USA) (N = 37). The overall weighted mean prevalence of food insecurity among higher education students across the studies was 44.03%. Evidence of a negative association between food insecurity and academic performance was reported in 43 studies (91.5%), comprising 42 cross-sectional and one longitudinal study (N = 176,947) (USA, Canada, Nigeria, Malaysia, Australia, Iceland & Jordan). The remaining four cross-sectional studies found no significant association between food insecurity and academic performance (USA, Mexico, Saudi Arabia).

The relatively high prevalence rate reported, the potential setbacks to academic success, and the inconsistencies observed within and across countries suggest that more prospective and comparative studies are needed to elucidate the driving mechanisms of this relationship. This will inform the development of effective, socio-culturally sensitive interventions.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13668-026-00744-6.