Background: Low food security and poor mental health are a persistent concern for college students.
Objective: Examine how food security and mental health are associated with college student's grade point average (GPA).
Methods: American College Health Association (ACHA)-National College Health Assessment III survey data Spring 2020 of students from 75 US universities (n = 48,103) were utilized to examine relationships among mental health, food security and academic performance (GPA).
Results: The majority of the population self-reported high food security (58.3%) and moderate psychological distress (50.8%). Very low food security (B = -.523, OR = .59, p < .001) and moderate psychological distress (B = -0.19, OR = .83, p < .001) were inversely associated with high GPA. Reduced food security was associated with worse mental health measures.
Conclusions: Food security and mental health are negatively associated with GPA. To improve student success, universities must enhance services that address food insecurity and mental health.
Keywords: Academic performance; food insecurity; loneliness; psychological distress; psychological well-being.