The Association Between Stress Levels and Nutritional Status Among Preclinical Medical Students at The State University of Gorontalo
Main Article Content
Introduction. Malnutrition remains a global public health concern with significant implications for young adults, including medical students who are exposed to high academic demands that may induce persistent stress and subsequently affect eating behavior and nutritional status. This study aimed to identify stress levels and nutritional status and to analyze the relationship between the two among preclinical medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, Gorontalo State University. Methods. An observational analytical study with a cross-sectional design was conducted involving 191 respondents selected through total sampling. Stress levels were assessed using the Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ), while nutritional status was determined based on Body Mass Index (BMI) obtained from standard anthropometric measurements. Data were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation test. Results. The results showed that most students experienced moderate stress levels (51.8%), with academic-related stressors being the most dominant, and the majority of respondents had normal nutritional status (56.5%). Bivariate analysis demonstrated no significant correlation between stress levels and nutritional status (r = −0.131; p = 0.071). Conclusion. In conclusion, stress levels were not significantly associated with nutritional status among preclinical medical students. Other factors, such as daily calorie intake, physical activity, sleep duration, and genetic or family history, may play a more prominent role in determining nutritional status. Nevertheless, stress management interventions and the promotion of healthy lifestyles remain important to support the overall well-being of medical students.
2. Kementerian Kesehatan RI. Survei Kesehatan Indonesia 2023. Kementerian Kesehatan RI. 2023.
3. Chu B, Marwaha K, Sanvictores T, Awosika OA, Ayersn D. Physiology, Stress Reaction. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
4. Hediaty S, Herlambang, Shafira NNA. Gambaran tingkat stres mahasiswa kedokteran berdasarkan Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire di Fakultas Kedokteran dan Ilmu Kesehatan Universitas Jambi. Journal of Medical Studies. 2022;2(2):61–71.
5. Dyrbye LN, Thomas MR, Shanafelt TD. Systematic review of depression, anxiety, and other indicators of psychological distress among U.S. and Canadian medical students. Acad Med. 2006;81(4):354-73.
6. Fares J, Al Tabosh H, Saadeddin Z, El Mouhayyar C, Aridi H. Stress, burnout, and coping strategies in preclinical medical students. N Am J Med Sci. 2016;8(2):75–81.
7. Ishak W, Nikravesh R, Lederer S, Perry R, Ogunyemi D, Bernstein, et al. Burnout in medical students: a systematic review. Clin Teach. 2013 ;10(4):242-245.
8. Adam TC, Epel ES. Stress, eating, and the reward system. Physiol Behav. 2007;91(4):449–458.
9. Angie Z, Zuraida R, Komala R, Pramesona BA. Hubungan antara tingkat stres dengan status gizi pada mahasiswa akhir Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Lampung. J Ilmu Kesehatan Gizi. 2025;3(1):1–8.
10. Novitasari M, Kumala M. Hubungan stres dengan status gizi pada mahasiswa Universitas Tarumanagara. Tarumanagara Med J. 2022;4(2):276–282.
11. Yusoff MSB, Rahim AFA, Yaacob MJ. The development and validity of the Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ). ASEAN J Psychiatry. 2010;11(1):13-24.
12. Yusoff MSB. A multicenter study on the validity of the Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ). Int Med J. 2011;18(1):14-18.
13. Bangasser DA, Valentino RJ. Sex differences in stress-related psychiatric disorders: neurobiological perspectives. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2020;35(3):303-319.
14. Widiastuti M, Yusuf A, Umam K. Faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi stres akademik mahasiswa tingkat akhir yang menghadapi ujian akhir skripsi. Jurnal Kesehatan Tambusai. 2025;6(3).
15. Widjaja S, Cahyono A. Analisis stresor akademik pada mahasiswa kedokteran Universitas Surabaya. J Pendidik Kedokteran Indonesia. 2022;11(3):187-195.
16. Charina M, Sagita S, Koamesah S, Woda R. Hubungan pengetahuan gizi dan pola konsumsi dengan status gizi pada mahasiswa Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Nusa Cendana. Cendana Medical Journal. 2022;10(1):197–204.
17. Gibson RS. Principles of nutritional assessment. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2020.
18. Widjaja S, Cahyono A. Stress analytics of medical students at the Faculty of Medicine University of Surabaya. Jurnal Pendidikan Kedokteran Indonesia. 2022;11(3).
19. World Health Organization. Obesity and overweight: fact sheet. Geneva: WHO; 2025.
20. Ramadhani IR, Mastuti E. Hubungan antara stres akademik dengan emotional eating pada mahasiswa. Buletin Riset Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental (BRPKM). 2022;2(1):686–692.
21. Gibney MJ, Lanham-New SA, Cassidy A, Vorster HH. Introduction to human nutrition. 3rd ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell; 2020.
22. Yunawati I, Salma WO, Jufri N, Mutmaina I, Namrin N, Ramadhan D, et al. Gambaran status gizi pada mahasiswa Fakultas Kesehatan Masyarakat Universitas Halu Oleo. Media Ilmiah Kesehatan Indonesia. 2025;3(1).
23. Torres SJ, Nowson CA. Relationship between stress, eating behavior, and obesity. Nutrition. 2020;23(11-12):887-94.
