Food Security, Academic Performance and Physical Well‑Being of Rural University Students in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Background: This study investigated the relationships among food security, academic performance, and physical well-being among students at a rural university in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 319 students aged 18–25 years residing in both on-campus and accredited off-campus residences. Stratified random sampling was used to select participants. Data were collected using a researcher-administered questionnaire comprising sections on socio-demographics, food security, academic performance, and physical well-being. Food security was assessed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Descriptive statistics summarised the data, and Spearman’s rank correlation was used to examine associations between variables. Results: The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale classified 59.6% of students as food secure, 33.2% as mildly food insecure, 6.3% as moderately food insecure, and 0.9% as severely food insecure. Although 72.7% of students reported being physically healthy, only 31.2% felt energetic throughout the day, and 33.2% reported obtaining sufficient sleep. Academic motivation was high (84.3%), though 49.1% reported feeling overwhelmed by their workload. Food security demonstrated weak positive correlations with self-reported academic performance (ρ = 0.180, p < 0.05) and module grades (ρ = 0.076, p > 0.05). Physical well-being showed moderate positive correlations with self-reported academic performance (ρ = 0.429, p < 0.01) and module grades (ρ = 0.338, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Mild and moderate food insecurity were prevalent among students, while severe hunger was uncommon. Physical well-being demonstrated stronger associations with academic outcomes than food security alone. Interventions that address nutritional adequacy, sleep quality, and student health services may enhance academic success in rural university settings. These findings suggest that universities should consider combining food support with health and wellness programmes to better support students, especially in settings with limited resources.