Most research on health and food choice is conducted with samples of college students with low racial and socioeconomic (SES) diversity. The University of Washington, Tacoma (UWT) has a uniquely heterogeneous student body, composed of various ages, SES, and races, but the aspect of non-traditionality that interested us was our large population of commuting students. The economic hypothesis for overnutrition highlights the health disparity created by the inverse relationship between food price and diet quality. Yet, in this population, we do not see a significant difference in body composition across income (F (3, 315) = 1.137, p = 0.334). However, there is a significant negative correlation between perceived stress and household income (r = -0.119, p < 0.05). Typically, time scarcity drives convenient food choices and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), often associated with adverse health indicators. In this project, I asked if longer commute times (zip codes farther away from campus) contribute to economic choices (money spent on gas, less for food) and time scarcity. I hypothesize that individuals with zip codes farther from campus (longer commute time) will show greater implicit preferences for SSBs and be more likely to select SSBs in a laboratory study. An independent sample t-test showed no significant relationship between commute time and SSB selection, t (318) = 0.875, p = 0.382. Again, a chi-square test showed no significant association between SSB selection and SES category 𝝌² (4, n = 318) = 2.505, p = 0.644. There is a modest inverse correlation between SES and implicit wanting for SSBs, r = -0.099, n = 291, p < 0.10. Addressing SSB consumption from a unique perspective accounting for external and personal factors with diverse sample populations is crucial to addressing the personal responsibility narrative in the psychology of eating.

Individual eating behaviors, and the motivations behind food choices, impact a person’s overall health and wellbeing. While cognition plays a significant role in food decision-making, processes outside of conscious awareness like high levels of perfectionism (cognitive rigidity) can influence a person's eating habits. On the other hand, these choices are impacted by emotional processes, as a person’s interoception sensitivity levels and experience of interpersonal stress impact food intake. The notions of cognitive rigidity and interpersonal stress contributing to changes in eating habits are contrary to the current discourse of personal accountability surrounding food choice and diet. The personal accountability narrative emphasizes each person’s individual responsibility in deciding what to consume, the quantity, and quality of the food. In contrast to the idea that each person is responsible for their health, analysis of surrounding factors that contribute to the decision-making process yields a more accurate understanding of health and well-being. Therefore, I aim to explore the relationship between interoceptive processes, interpersonal stress, and cognitive rigidity to explain food decision-making and diet quality. To examine this relationship, I am recruiting a sample of college students from psychology courses at the University of Washington Tacoma campus. Participants will complete an online self-report questionnaire assessing interoception, perfectionism, mood, interpersonal stress levels, and eating habits. I hypothesize that interpersonal stress and cognitive rigidity adversely impact interoceptive sensitivity, ultimately worsening participants' diet quality. Understanding the relationship between interoceptive sensitivity, interpersonal stress, and cognitive rigidity and their impact on well-being can help inform future health interventions guiding improving dietary consumption.