CAROLINE OTERI

Thesis: Evaluating the Effect of a Mindful Eating Mobile App on Weight, Stress, and Mindful Eating in College Students

Thesis Director:  Dr. Haiyan Maier, Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology

"The Honors in the Major Program has enabled me to expand my interests outside of the classroom. As a student majoring in Clinical Professions, I decided to pursue my thesis in the Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology under the guidance of Dr. Haiyan Maier. My project investigates the relationship between mindful eating, perceived stress, and weight among college students. While mindfulness has grown in popularity, this research aims to address the less-known effects of mindful eating. Given the use of a mindful eating mobile application, will there be any significant change among the variables mentioned above?

With support from the Bess H. Ward Honors Thesis Award, I will be able to incentivize students during recruitment and provide compensation to several of the research participants via a drawing after data collection is complete. I am grateful to be a recipient of the Thesis Award, and I am thankful for the generous donors, selection committee, and my thesis director who encouraged me to apply. Overall, the Thesis Award and Honors Program have positively impacted my undergraduate experience, inspiring me never to stop asking meaningful questions. With all of the incredible support, I am motivated to continue pursuing research as an undergraduate student and beyond. "

-Caroline Oteri, Spring 2021 Bess H. Ward Thesis Award Winner