Examining the Relationship between Stress and Eating Habits during Midterm Exams among University Female Students

Elshahat Ibrahim, Mervat; Youssef Abdel Hamid Mahmoud, Mohammed; Ali Moussa, Mahmoud

doi:10.21608/ejhc.2025.444187

Examining the Relationship between Stress and Eating Habits during Midterm Exams among University Female Students

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ 1Assistant Professor of Family and Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Suez Canal University, Egypt, mervat_ibrahim@nursing.suez.edu.eg

² 2Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Department of Home Economics, Faculty of Education, Suez Canal University, Correspondent author, Mohamed_Mahmoud@edu.suez.edu.eg

³ 3Suez Canal University, Faculty of Education, Department of Psychology, Egypt, Ismailia, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5611-1792, Mahmoud_muhanna@edu.suez.edu.eg

10.21608/ejhc.2025.444187

Abstract

This study uses a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design to examine the relationship between stress and eating habits among university students during midterm exams. 150 female undergraduate students, selected through stratified random sampling, participated in the study. Participants were recruited through online Google forums and represented diverse academic disciplines. To ensure the validity of the results, individuals with chronic health conditions were excluded. The study employed the Eating Habits Scale, developed through a comprehensive review of existing instruments, to assess four dimensions of eating behavior: Healthy Eating, Emotional Eating, Self-Control in Eating, and Irregular Eating Patterns. Stress levels were measured using the Stress Subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted to evaluate the structural validity of the Eating Habits Scale, yielding acceptable model fit indices (CFI = 0.939, TLI = 0.928, RMSEA = 0.076). The results highlight significant associations between stress levels and maladaptive eating behaviors, particularly increased emotional eating and irregular eating patterns among students experiencing heightened academic stress. These findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions to promote healthier eating habits and stress management strategies in university settings. Future research should explore longitudinal and experimental approaches to establish causal relationships between stress and dietary behaviors.

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