Katie Johnson

Perceived Stress Level, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and Dietary Intake Among College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Research Overview:

“My research examined the impact of State and Trait anxiety and dietary intake on college students’ gastrointestinal symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using several validated questionnaires, this study concluded that anxiety predicted 26% of the variance in gastrointestinal symptoms, whereas dietary intake only predicted 3.8% of this variance. This study has been submitted to the Journal of American College Health for publication and was accepted for presentation at the American Society for Nutrition 2021 conference.”

Betsy Berens

Accuracy of Nutrient Intake Values from Four Popular Nutrition Tracking Apps

Advice for Future CSB/SJU student researchers:

“Participate in research as much as you can at CSB/SJU! These opportunities won’t always present themselves so take the chance now. During research, you learn many transferable skills; time management, internal motivation, and collaborating with others. These skills will be beneficial to use anywhere in life or future employment, not just dietetics. In my experience, my research advisor has mentored me in improving my written and oral communication skills. Additionally, I always know my advisor will be a source of support in academics and life. The relationships you build with fellow research students and your faculty advisor can be invaluable.”