Determination of Reasons for Changes in Eating Behaviours of University Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine changes and reasons for eating behaviors of first-year university students after starting university. Using an eating behavior scale, we asessed the eating behavior before and after commencing university of 330 first year undergraduates who study in Ankara. 84.6% of the students who stated that they had changed their eating behaviors who live away from their family. It has been determined that the majority of the students who change their eating behaviors (77.6%) were experiencing negative change. The students stated that the reasons for the negative change life are generally "not suitable foods for their eating behaviours, not being the one that prepares meals and not have enough time to eat". It was seen that the scores of the eating behavior of students after started to university were affected significantly residence and department of students (p<0.05). Students who studied in health-related departments and stayed with their parents have increased their average scores after they started at the university. Gaining and maintaining healthy eating behaviours is very important for university students who are the future of society. Therefore, interventions should be made to correct the factors that affect the eating behaviors of university students in the negative way. In addition, nutrition education programs aimed at improving healthy eating behaviors of students should be organized.

Factors influencing eating behavior of Benghazi University students

“…31 Therefore, interventions should be made to enhance the healthy eating behavior of university students and to correct the factors that could develop unhealthier eating pattern among them. 31 Furthermore, as revealed by the current study there was a dramatic weight change among students after starting university, mostly decrease in body weight as reported by students. However, according to the BMI, the results of this study found that most of students had normal body weight.…”