Financial stress is an everyday reality for college students. The costs of tuition at colleges are on the rise, and despite receiving financial aid packages, some students still struggle with financial burdens.
A major source of student stress is related to finances, and this stress has been proven to have a negative impact on their academic performance. While income and intake of calorie-dense foods are inversely related, the relationship has not been thoroughly explored in regards to the first-year undergraduate students. Keeping in mind the expensive costs associated with healthful food and behavior, it is my prediction that financially insecure first-year students are likely to engage in riskier eating behavior than financially secure students.
A major source of student stress is related to finances, and this stress has been proven to have a negative impact on their academic performance. While income and intake of calorie-dense foods are inversely related, the relationship has not been thoroughly explored in regards to the first-year undergraduate students. Keeping in mind the expensive costs associated with healthful food and behavior, it is my prediction that financially insecure first-year students are likely to engage in riskier eating behavior than financially secure students.
Only 1 out of 23 survey respondents who reported eating at places NOT support by their meal plan more than three times a week is
financially insecure. |
This is particularly important in regards to meal plans. Students with financial troubles are unlikely to supplement their meal plan by eating at off-campus restaurants or shopping for groceries, simply because they can not afford to. Students without financial stress, however, can afford to supplement their expensive plans and thus expand their dining options.