Associations of Household Food Insecurity With Academic Outcomes in Early Adolescents.

Abstract

Food insecurity is characterized by limited access to adequate food due to a lack of money or resources (eg, lack of transportation to obtain food). School aged children who are experiencing food insecurity are at greater risk for poor academic outcomes, but previous studies have not examined the effects of food insecurity on specific academic outcomes over time. This study examined food insecurity as a risk factor for subsequent academic skills, enablers, and achievement. As part of a larger longitudinal study, middle school students (N = 112; meanage = 12.14, SD = 0.41; 50% female; 68% black/African American, 14% white, 13% Hispanic or Latino, 5% other) reported on food insecurity at baseline, while teachers reported on students' academic skills and enablers at both baseline and 12 months later at 1 year follow up. Math and English/Language Arts grades were obtained from the schools at each wave. Food insecurity predicted lower academic skills over time but was unrelated to academic enablers and grades. Considering a whole school, whole community, whole child (WSCC) framework, this study will also discuss the important role schools and communities have in reducing food insecurity in middle school students. These results support negative long-term effects of food insecurity on academic skills in early adolescents.