9 in 10 Americans Agree: Hunger is Holding Kids Back from Learning and Thriving in School

GENYOUth Champions School Meals as a Critical Solution to Address Food Insecurity for Children During September's Hunger Action Month

NEW YORK, Sept. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- GENYOUth, the national nonprofit committed to ensuring students thrive by living well-nourished and physically active lives, released today the results of its second annual "Youth Hunger & School Meals" national survey. The findings reveal that childhood hunger is widely seen as strongly linked to impaired focus and learning in school, as well as a range of related health and wellness challenges.

The survey also highlights Americans' overwhelming support for school meals as a critical program for child health, wellness, and academic success, underscoring the urgent need to ensure schools have the resources to nourish all students.

Food insecurity among children in the United States is a critical but often silent crisis that afflicts millions of young lives – 1 in 5 kids face hunger or food insecurity¹, and more than 13 million children in the United States live in "food insecure" homes². Among the factors fueling this epidemic of child hunger are rising food prices and economic instability, which continue to strain families across the country.

Uncovering Hunger: The Silent Disruptor of Education

Two decades of research from leading institutions – including the CDC⁴˒⁵, Child Development⁶, the American Academy of Pediatrics⁷, the American Society of Nutrition⁸, and FRAC⁹ – confirms that well-nourished students consistently demonstrate stronger academic performance and social outcomes. This connection is widely recognized in GENYOUth's "Youth Hunger & School Meals" survey, which found that U.S. adults overwhelmingly agree hunger undermines children's ability to focus, learn, and succeed in school.

Nearly 9 in 10 (86%) Americans believe that going to school hungry severely hinders a child's ability to focus in the classroom – the fundamental building block of learning. Nearly all (97%) adults recognize the broader impact of food insecurity on a student's overall school experience, including low energy or fatigue (84%), difficulty concentrating (78%), and declining academic performance (62%).

The majority of respondents recognize that when children lack access to adequate food, it affects far more than just their hunger. They connect food insecurity with a range of physical and emotional challenges — including frequent complaints like headaches and stomachaches (68%), as well as heightened levels of anxiety and stress, and lowered self-esteem.

There's also a strong belief that hunger impacts students' social and behavioral well-being. About half say it leads to social withdrawal and contributes to disruptive behavior, irritability, and aggression in the classroom.

Lack of nutritious food is also seen as a major reason students miss school or struggle to stay engaged. More than half of Americans rank it as equal in urgency to issues like poor health, economic hardship, and bullying — reinforcing the deep connection between proper nutrition, school attendance, and academic success.

From the First Bell: School Meals Power Learning

Americans are deeply concerned about the impact of hunger in the classroom — and they overwhelmingly (93%) believe the solution starts with access to healthy school meals. More than 9 in 10 agree that students who eat breakfast regularly perform better in school, and most recognize that starting the day on a full stomach gives kids a real academic edge.

There is also strong support for making school breakfast a standard part of the school day, not an optional add-on. For nearly 7 in 10, this is more than a "nice-to-have" — it's a priority.

The public clearly sees the powerful role school nutrition plays in keeping students focused and present. Access to nourishing meals is widely viewed as essential for boosting attendance and encouraging active participation in the classroom. Simply put, when kids aren't hungry, they're better equipped to learn and thrive.

The Urgency is Real: Time for Action is Now

As 30 million students rely on school meals for a significant portion of their daily nutrition, according to the School Nutrition Association¹⁰, school meals are as essential as public safety and need to be treated as infrastructure rather than as ancillary to a school's work.

"September is Hunger Action Month — a powerful reminder that the time to act is now," said GENYOUth CEO Ann Marie Krautheim, MA, RD, LD. "Hunger in our schools is more than a nutrition issue — it's a quiet crisis that robs children of their focus, confidence, and potential. It's a hidden threat to learning."

"If we want to unlock every child's ability to learn and thrive, we must respond boldly. That means uplifting school meal programs, implementing innovative solutions, and rallying the support of parents and community leaders. Together, we can build a future where no student has to learn on an empty stomach — and where every child is nourished, supported, and ready to succeed."

Krautheim points out that school meals include milk, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein which are essential for advancing nutrition security and eliminating gaps by ensuring students receive the nutrition they need to thrive. USDA data¹¹ shows children participating in school meal programs consume more dairy, fruits, and vegetables while eating fewer desserts, snacks, and non-milk beverages.

Nutrition security emphasizes both quality and quantity in food intake, highlighting the critical importance of consistent access to healthy options. Innovative approaches like Grab and Go, Breakfast in the Classroom, and Second Chance Breakfast have proven highly effective in expanding access to and participation in nutritious school meals.

"It's encouraging to see so many Americans recognize the link between school meals and student success," said Krautheim. "For 30 million students, school meals aren't just a meal — they're often the most reliable nutrition they get each day."

She concludes: "Schools do more than teach — they nourish and support children's well-being. But they can't do it alone. We all have a role to play. This Hunger Action Month and beyond, let's work together to make sure every child is nourished and ready to thrive."

To support GENYOUth's mission of ensuring children thrive through well-nourished and physically active lives, and to access the complete "Youth Hunger and School Meals" survey results, visit GENYOUthnow.org.

¹ USDA
² Feeding America
⁴ CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 10, 2024
⁵ CDC Healthy Schools, July 19, 2024
⁶ Child Development, March/April 2018
⁷ Pediatrics, August 1, 2008
⁸ The Journal of Nutrition, December 2005
⁹ FRAC Research Highlights the Healthy Benefits of Healthy School Meals for all Students, July 2024
¹⁰SNA "A Thriving Community. A Future Vision for the School Nutrition Ecosystem"
¹¹U.S. Department of Agriculture "The Value of School Meal Programs"

About GENYOUth
GENYOUth is a 501c3 national nonprofit dedicated to helping school children thrive by living a well-nourished and physically active life. A catalyst for youth health and wellness, GENYOUth has supported over 77,000 U.S. schools to equip them with the resources needed to ensure millions of children have equitable access to nutrition and physical activity. Founded by America's dairy farmers and the NFL, GENYOUth convenes a network of private and public partners, including Fortune 100 companies and foundations, to ensure all children are nourished and active to be their best selves. Committed to ending student hunger and promoting physical activity, GENYOUth provides grants that increase access to healthy school meals for food insecure students and empower kids to develop lifelong healthy habits through movement and activity. GENYOUth is the official charitable partner of Taste of the NFL, a purpose-driven Super Bowl culinary experience, and Taste of the Draft, both of which raise awareness and generate funds to fight hunger and food insecurity. To learn more and support GENYOUth, visit www.GENYOUthnow.org and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Survey Methodology
The GENYOUth Youth Hunger Action Month Survey surveyed 1,008 nationally representative Americans aged 18+. The survey was conducted online between August 11, 2025, and August 15, 2025. The study has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percent from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all personas in the universe represented by the sample. The margin of error for any subgroups will be slightly higher.

Wired Research is a leading insights consultancy, partnering with brands big and small. For more information about Wired Research please visit www.wiredresearch.com.

SOURCE GENYOUth