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Relationship Between Perceived Stress and Diet Quality in Physician Assistant Students
1Physician Assistant Studies Program, New York Institute of Technology, Riland Center, Room 351, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA. Tel 516-686-1248. cwolf01@nyit.edu.
Journal of Allied Health
|December 5, 2025
Summary
Physician assistant (PA) students report moderate stress levels. Higher perceived stress correlates with poorer diet quality, suggesting a negative impact on student health behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Public Health Nutrition
- Psychological Stress
Background:
- Student wellness is crucial for academic success.
- Understanding lifestyle factors affecting health professional students is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between perceived stress and diet quality among physician assistant (PA) students.
- To identify potential health behavior impacts in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Anonymous surveys collected demographic data, diet quality (Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants - REAP-S), and perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale - PSS-10).
- Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation, t-tests, and ANOVA.
Main Results:
- 342 PA students participated, reporting moderate stress (PSS-10 mean 18.7) and average diet quality (REAP-S mean 28.6).
- Female students experienced significantly higher stress than male students (p < 0.001).
- A significant negative correlation was found between perceived stress and diet quality (p < 0.001), indicating higher stress is linked to poorer dietary habits.
Conclusions:
- Physician assistant students face considerable stress.
- Elevated stress levels in PA students are associated with detrimental effects on their diet and lifestyle choices.
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