Changes in Eating Habits among Displaced and Non-Displaced University Students

Abstract

Nowadays the younger generations are moving their food habits from the traditional diet to a Western diet, which is low in fruits and vegetables and high in fat and sugary drinks. University students are a particularly vulnerable population once, with the entrance to university, they are subjected to new influences and responsibilities; in particular, those who live far from their parents’ houses are more predisposed to unhealthy eating habits. To assess the influence that admission to university has had on the frequency of intake of certain foods and meals as well as their adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), self-administered questionnaires were applied. The sample included 97 Portuguese students, with an average age of 21 years, a normal weight, according to body mass index, and an average MedDiet adherence. Most of the individuals did not smoke and the majority did not drink coffee. It was also observed that displaced students consume fast food more frequently compared to the period before they start university. Fish ingestion decreased and coffee consumption increased, in the same group, after starting their university studies.

Factors Related to Diet Quality: A Cross-Sectional Study of 1055 University Students

“…The participants that lived alone showed a poorer DQ than those who lived with family members or flat mates. This same phenomenon has been repeatedly found in other studies involving samples of European students [ 21 , 63 ]. There are various reasons that explain why students who live alone were less likely to adopt a healthy diet; these include, but are not limited to, the following: changing lifestyle, the comfort and convenience of fast food, taste, students’ physical and social environment, and awareness of weight [ 64 ].…”

“…Many variables can exert influence on the ways that university students nourish themselves, including individual factors (e.g., the lack of self-discipline or time constraints), support networks (e.g., the influence of peers or the lack of parental monitoring), the local environment (e.g., accessibility or the appeal and price of certain food products) as well as the macro environment (e.g., advertising) [ 19 , 20 ]. Other sociodemographic variables have also been connected to the DQ of university students, including the following: living alone [ 21 ], gender [ 22 ], satisfaction with one’s studies and academic performance [ 23 ], lack of information [ 24 ] as well as anxiety and depression [ 25 ].…”

Weight-Loss Behaviors of Avoiding Between Meal and Midnight Snack in Teenagers Associated with Gestational Diabetes: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study

“…In this study, we focused on " avoiding between meal and midnight snacks " in teenagers. Although eating habits are ingrained in us from an early age, teenagers inevitably make more independent choices about their meals and snacks (29). Teenagers are more likely to spend their allowance freely and with autonomy.…”

Knowledge, Attitude and Perception on Climate Change and Dietary Choices in a Predominantly Chinese University Students Population in Klang Valley

“…The younger population are the key consumers of the next decade who shapes the future of dietary patterns, particularly university students who are starting their lives independently from family influence and their dietary patterns are forming. Dietary patterns often persist throughout adulthood thus, a study among university students is important in climate change mitigation (Vermeir & Verbeke, 2008;Barbara & Pego, 2020).…”