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

Abstract

Given that there is only a limited body of evidence available concerning the dietary habits of Spanish university students, the present study assesses the quality of this group’s diet, their adherence to the National Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, and the predictive factors of their diet quality. To do so, a cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 1055 students. The quality of the participants’ diets was then analysed by using the Spanish Healthy Eating Index, and then their level of compliance was assessed in light of the dietary recommendations put forth by the Spanish Society for Community Nutrition. According to these standards, only 17.4% of the participants had a healthy diet. The level of compliance with the recommendations was poor, highlighting especially the low levels of “fruit” and “vegetables” that they consumed as well as high levels of “cold meats and cuts” and “sweets.” The factors that predicted a worse diet are being male, living alone, low levels of physical activity, smoking, high alcohol intake, leading a sedentary lifestyle, psychological distress, and insomnia (p < 0.005). Furthermore, participants with low or high body weights showed signs of a higher quality diet (p < 0.001). The present findings suggest that a significant proportion of university students ought to change their dietary habits; these also attest to the importance of developing strategies that are directly targeted at university students in order to promote a healthy diet.

Risky Behaviours of Spanish University Students: Association with Mediterranean Diet, Sexual Attitude and Chronotype

“…They often cut down or skip meals, prefer to eat fast food, snack between meals, and consume alcohol regularly [4]. University students typically follow a diet that is high in fat and low in dietary fibre [4], with low consumption of fruits and vegetables, which is contrary to the principles of a Mediterranean diet (MD) [5]. The university stage is important for the development of eating habits and future health [4].…”

“…In Spain, the majority of people follow a Mediterranean diet, which is a healthy diet [7]. Previous research has revealed that the low adherence of Spanish university students to a Mediterranean diet is related to high alcohol consumption [5,8], smoking, low levels of physical activity (PA), living alone, and leading a sedentary lifestyle [5], and good adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with an improved quality of life related to perceived health [9] and low body weight [5].…”

Individual Circadian Preference, Eating Disorders and Obesity in Children and Adolescents: A Dangerous Liaison? A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis

“…In the same line, Xiao et al [ 42 ] demonstrated that the timing of carbohydrate and protein was related with obesity. Last but not least, chronotype can be influenced by social, cultural, and economic factors [ 43 ]. The Mediterranean diet, characterized by high intake of fruit, vegetables, legumes, cereals, and using olive oil as the main lipid, is considered a healthy diet [ 44 ].…”

Fiber Consumption Mediates Differences in Several Gut Microbes in a Subpopulation of Young Mexican Adults

“…Transition to university in young adults involves a greater autonomy concerning food choices, low food budget, and exposure to new social groups than usual [ 5 , 6 ]. Indeed, the transition from living at home with parents to autonomous university life is often associated with changes such as an increase in alcohol and sugar intake while at the same time a decrease in the consumption of fruits and vegetables [ 7 , 8 , 9 ].…”