Just the “Typical College Diet”: How College Students Use Life Stages to Account for Unhealthy Eating

Abstract

I performed a qualitative content analysis of 136 college students' food diary reflection papers to examine the accounts used when explaining dietary failures. In addition to common justifications (denials of injury, appeals to higher loyalties, and condemning the condemners) and excuses (denials of responsibility and postponement), diarists referred to their status as a college student and the "typical college student lifestyle" as the major reason for eating an unhealthy diet. Exploring how students use life stages to neutralize stigma adds a new temporal and context-focused dimension to studies of accounts and provides direction for potential health interventions.

Pulse Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Cooking Experience of Midwestern US University Students

“…College-aged students experience many life changes, and unhealthy diets have become commonplace [ 2 , 4 ]. Pulses are foods that can fill nutritional gaps for college students (fiber, folate, and iron), as well as meet their food preferences and improve dietary quality of these young adults [ 1 , 6 , 18 , 19 ].…”

“…Young adults cite barriers such as a lack of time to prepare foods and a lack of skills as reasons for not cooking at home [ 4 , 34 , 43 , 44 ]. Canned foods generally provide a quick and easy way to prepare a nutritious meal and may provide a mechanism to increase pulse consumption in students with lower cooking self-efficacy [ 7 , 8 , 45 ].…”

“…The university setting, with its structured meal plans and housing, limited food outlets, and time constraints, may shape behavior and restrict food choice. Largely cited reasons of college students for not consuming healthier food options are time limitations and lack of food preparation knowledge [ 4 ]. In a qualitative investigation, college students justified unhealthy eating practices as part of a “typical college lifestyle” with little they can do to change [ 4 ].…”

“…Largely cited reasons of college students for not consuming healthier food options are time limitations and lack of food preparation knowledge [ 4 ]. In a qualitative investigation, college students justified unhealthy eating practices as part of a “typical college lifestyle” with little they can do to change [ 4 ]. Thus, college students may be nutritionally vulnerable, lacking in certain nutrients, particularly fiber, folate, and iron, and at risk of weight gain [ 2 , 5 ].…”

“…Research is limited on specific foods purchased and the attitudes or purchasing preferences of college students or other young adults (aged 18–30) [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Few studies have assessed US college students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices surrounding pulse usage or factors influencing pulse consumption.…”