Majoring in nutrition influences BMI of female college students

Abstract

Maintaining healthy eating habits in college is challenging. Interventions focused on nutrition education can assist in reversing these trends of poor eating habits among college students. The purpose of the study was to identify factors affecting the dietary habits, food choices and BMI of college females majoring in nutrition (NMs) compared with non-nutrition majors (OMs). A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey study of dietary behaviour and food frequency of 202 college females was conducted at San Diego State University. Data were analysed by using t tests, χ2 tests and regression analysis in SPSS. NMs exhibited a lower BMI than OMs (P < 0·01); however, BMI values for both groups were within a healthy range. Interestingly, 3 % of NMs had a BMI in the range of overweight or obese; however, prevalence was three times higher for OMs, being 9·2 %. A healthier meal option was the most influential factor in NMs’ meal choices whereas convenience and weight control were influential factors in OMs’ meal choices. Most NMs read nutrition labels and reported that this affects their food choices. NMs exercised longer than OMs in the <120 min/week category. Exercise affected healthy meal conception in NMs only (P < 0·001). Taking dietary supplements influenced healthy meal awareness in OMs only (P < 0·05). University-level nutrition education is strongly associated with healthier eating habits and superior food choices among young adult females. More regular meal patterns, healthier snack choice and adherence to dietary guidelines may contribute to the lower BMI values observed among NMs compared with OMs.

Relationships between body weight perception, body mass index, physical activity, and food choices in Southern California male and female adolescents

“…Nutritional intake, PA, height, weight, and demographic information were assessed using a previously developed questionnaire (Hong, Shepanski, & Gaylis, 2016). The questionnaire was modified for Southern California teenagers, based on pilot testing, for acceptability and understanding using a sample of undergraduate and graduate students at large Southwestern University.…”

Anthropometric characteristics and health self-assessment of female university students

“…These are young persons, 20.5 ± 0.7 years old, averaged 168.65 cm ± 6.01 in height, 63.09 ± 9.9 kg in body weight, corresponding to BMI 22.1 ± 3.2 kg/m 2 and thus characterised as persons with an ideal BMI, which is a common result in studies by authors from neighbouring countries. [22][23][24][25][26][27][28] The University of Banja Luka students are higher than their female counterparts in Canada, 29 Greece, 30,31 and Croatia, 23 while female students from Brazil are higher than the students from the University of Banja Luka. 33 According to the measurements performed in this study, the proportion of adipose tissue was 31.80 ± 6.47 %, ranging from 17.2 % to 51 % of the total body mass, while the mean values of muscle mass were 28.15 ± 2.81 %, ranging from 21 % to 36.80 % of the total body mass.…”

Whole Grain Muffin Acceptance by Young Adults

“…The demographics of this study’s participants were representative of the University’s undergraduate population at the time of the study. Human nutrition/dietetics and food science students were excluded from the study because persons with nutritional education are more likely to know about whole grains and are thus more likely consume whole grain products [ 20 , 27 ]. The median age and year of school were very similar to other comparable whole grain studies involving college students [ 14 , 31 ].…”

“…Criteria for inclusion in the study were being aged 18–24 years and an undergraduate student at the University of Maine. Students majoring in food science or human nutrition were excluded from the study because they may have more knowledge about whole grains than would other students [ 18 ]; nutrition majors were more likely to follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to choose grains, fruits, and vegetables than were students in other majors [ 27 ]. Students in food science and nutrition represented less than 2% of the total undergraduates at the University of Maine matriculating at the time of the study.…”