Abstract

Food insecurity is a rising issue among college students. The added pressure and worry over food availability impacts students’ mindset and their perception of stress. However, research investigating this relationship is limited. To address this gap, an anonymous online survey was distributed via social media platforms to adults 18 years and older. The survey included demographic questions, the Food Mood Questionnaire, and the Perceived Stress Scale. A total of 997 people completed the survey, including 705 females, 246 males, and 46 others. Data was analyzed using Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient in SPSS Version 25.0. A significant positive correlation was found between food insecurity and perceived stress (p<0.01). Significant negative correlations between the consumption of dark green leafy vegetables and fruit with perceived stress (p<0.01) were also found. This suggests that students experiencing food insecurity may consume less nutritious foods and perceive themselves as more stressed.