The Social Factors of College Lifestyle that may Cause Weight Gain in Undergraduate Students

The college life is a one of a kind experience. It is usually the first time students move away from their families and become independent. It is also a time for experimentation. Many students begin to figure out who they are by getting involved in school activities, and meeting new people. It is important to make friends and meet new people in college, and for many this is done by partying at night. College is a time of change: many begin to pick up habits, such as drinking, to deal with the change. This time of change includes social problems as well as academic, problems, which can be very stressful and tough for students to manage. As a result of these changes; body weight, dietary habits and overall fitness start to change, in many cases spiraling downward. Studies have been done focusing on college students and weight gain. In this paper I focus on the social factors of college lifestyle correlated with weight gain in college students. Weight gain is caused by poor eating choices and exercising habits, heavy drinking of alcohol and increased stress levels. It is important to study the causes of weight gain in this particular group because they contribute to the tremendous rise of obesity in the United States (CDC, 2007). Another reason this is sociologically important is because the culture of college is one like no other. College is a time of learning, growth and development. Students engage in activities that they perhaps would not have participated in before or after college. These habits that students create during the years of college may stay with them in the future. These habits tend to be created during freshman year

Determinants of eating behaviour in university students : a qualitative study using focus group discussions

Background: College or university is a critical period regarding unhealthy changes in eating behaviours in students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore which factors influence Belgian (European) university students' eating behaviour, using a qualitative research design. Furthermore, we aimed to collect ideas and recommendations in order to facilitate the development of effective and tailored intervention programs aiming to improve healthy eating behaviours in university students. Methods: Using a semi-structured question guide, five focus group discussions have been conducted consisting of 14 male and 21 female university students from a variety of study disciplines, with a mean age of 20.6 +/- 1.7 yrs. Using Nvivo9, an inductive thematic approach was used for data analysis. Results: After the transition from secondary school to university, when independency increases, students are continuously challenged to make healthful food choices. Students reported to be influenced by individual factors (e. g. taste preferences, self-discipline, time and convenience), their social networks (e. g. (lack of) parental control, friends and peers), physical environment (e. g. availability and accessibility, appeal and prices of food products), and macro environment (e. g. media and advertising). Furthermore, the relationships between determinants and university students' eating behaviour seemed to be moderated by university characteristics, such as residency, student societies, university lifestyle and exams. Recommendations for university administrators and researchers include providing information and advice to enhance healthy food choices and preparation (e. g. via social media), enhancing self-discipline and self-control, developing time management skills, enhancing social support, and modifying the subjective as well as the objective campus food environment by e. g. making healthy foods price-beneficial and by providing vending machines with more healthy products. Conclusions: This is the first European study examining perceived determinants of eating behaviour in university students and collecting ideas and recommendations for healthy eating interventions in a university specific setting. University characteristics (residency, exams, etc.) influence the relationships between individual as well as social environmental determinants and university students' eating behaviour, and should therefore be taken into account when designing effective and tailored multilevel intervention programs aiming to improve healthy eating behaviours in university students

An analysis of Canadian young adults’ eating behaviours towards sustainable food choices

Human health has always been a major concern when it comes to policy design, decision-making, and planning. However, in recent years and with ideas about sustainability gaining traction, planetary health has also been gaining attention from researchers, policy makers and even businesses. There is an inevitable link between human and planetary health. Activities related to food provision and food systems in general are a major determinant of human health and environmental sustainability. The global food system requires a transformation to reduce its adverse impacts on both human and environmental health and to achieve food security. While major improvements have been made in practices related to food production, advances are required from the demand side as well. From the demand side, focusing on food consumption can be a promising approach to alleviate the negative impacts associated with food systems. In terms of sustainable eating behaviours, young adults are a critical population. They often have poor eating habits and habits gained at this stage of life can sustain overtime and become their regular eating habits. Furthermore, given the current global environmental changes, young people will experience stronger consequences from environmental challenges, such as climate change. Therefore, their habits and behaviours, including those associated with how they eat, can have major impacts on their future. This dissertation focuses on the eating habits of young adults ages 18 to 24. In this dissertation, the first study is a quantitative analysis where a Canada-wide survey was conducted among young adults to identify the main individual, environmental, and behavioral factors affecting eating behaviours and to categorize this target population into consumer segments reflecting their eating behaviours. The study found, there were six major factors influencing eating behaviours among young adults in Canada including: (1) beliefs (ethical, environmental and personal), (2) familiarity and convenience, (3) joy and experience, (4) food influencers and Sociability, (5) cultural identity, and (6) body image; the respondents were segmented into six groups based on the importance they attributed to each of the identified factors as follows: (1) the conventional consumer, (2) the concerned consumer, (3) the non-trend follower consumer, (4) the tradition-follower consumer, (5) the indifferent consumer and (6) the ‘eat what you love’ consumer; and, more than half of the population in this study have specific considerations and criteria for their food choices, which distinctly differentiates each segment. The second study is a qualitative analysis where focus groups were conducted among university students to first identify the perceived meaning of sustainable food and sustainable eating, and second, to identify the determinants of sustainable eating behaviours among university students. The study found, university students had a wide range of perceptions regarding defining the attributes of sustainable food, and the aspects of sustainable eating behaviours. In addition to the factors previously presented in the framework by Deliens et al., ‘environmental and social values and beliefs’, ‘campus food’, ‘the pandemic’ and ‘food guides and expert recommendation’ were added as determinants of sustainable eating behaviours. Among all categories, the top two themes mentioned by the participants were food literacy, and campus food (meal plan and university food outlet). Finally, identified personal and environmental factors can motivate or act as a barrier for sustainable and healthy behaviors of university students. Finally, in third study I looked at the dietary trends of young adults in Canada and how it has changed from 2004 to 2015. Using the CCHS-Nutrition data, I presented the average diet of a Canadian young adult. Additionally, I looked at the carbon footprint (CF) of the average diet and its changes over the 10-year period. Three dietary trends were identified; first, there was a shift towards the consumption of food that is heavily recommended by Canada’s Food guide; second, there was a shift towards the consumption of food that is considered to have lower CF; and third, protein intake increased and was mainly from animal-based sources for both years with almost identical ratio for animal-based to plant-based protein. The study also identified the overall CF of self-reported diets decreased only slightly in 2015. The identified trends demonstrated that although diets of Canadian young adults are moving towards the right direction (healthy and with lower environmental impact), the shift is not significant and needs major interventions, particularly regarding reducing CF. The research presented in this dissertation has contributed to knowledge and the scholarly literature regarding eating behaviours that support both human health and planetary health. This study also helps with the design and implementation of food-choice interventions underscoring the need for population-specific interventions, emphasis on knowledge translation and highlighting the link between food choices and their environmental impacts such as carbon footprint, and the need for interventions at the campus food environment level present a significant opportunity

Changes in food neophobia and dietary habits of international students

Background International study is becoming more prevalent, yet aspects such as food neophobia often militate against the consumption of a nutritionally balanced diet of visiting students. The purpose of this paper, therefore, was to evaluate the extent to which international postgraduate students experience food neophobia, how this might vary by nationality and other demographic characteristics, and how acculturation might manifest itself in students’ dietary behaviour. Methods International postgraduate students were invited to complete a validated questionnaire during their first week at university. The questionnaire was subsequently re-administered to the same students approximately four and eight months later. Results In total, 226 usable responses were analysed, 124, 58 and 44, respectively, for the first, second and final data collection. Perhaps surprisingly, the overall food neophobia scores increased from an initial value of 27.95 (SD ± 16.95) to 33.67 (SD ± 33.67) after 3 months although when comparing European and Asian students, only the former were significantly different (p<0.05). Both Asian and European students reported small but not significant changes in their eating habits, although after 3 months significantly (p=< 0.05) less changes were reported. No significant changes were reported in students’ perceived healthiness of their diets either by nationality or over time. Conclusions Understanding the complexities of food neophobia, other aspects of dietary change and at what point these changes might take place in the acculturation process when students arrive in the UK needs to be fully understood if a climate for positive learning is to be established

The dietary habits of Maltese university students

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore university students’ perceived diet and related health practices and whether these varied by gender, faculty and year of course. It also sought to examine the students’ recommendations on what may help them to engage in a healthier diet. Method: A self-administered questionnaire was completed by a representative sample of 494 undergraduate students stratified by gender and faculty. The questionnaire explored various features of the students’ perceived physical and mental health and lifestyle, including diet, the focus of this paper. Results: Half of the students had only between 1 and 2 servings of fruit and vegetables daily, more than half chose the less healthy food, less than half had a regular healthy breakfast, while one third consumed soft drinks. Female students were consistently more conscious of their diet. The students made various recommendations on how the university may help them to make healthy choices, particularly more availability of healthy food on campus. Conclusions: Despite being a highly educated group, the majority of students did not reach the healthy diet benchmarks explored in the study. Further research is suggested to explain the psychological correlates underlying the dietary habits of Maltese university students.peer-reviewe

Pre-service health and physical education teachers’ obesity-related nutrition knowledge and food habits

This study aimed to quantify the levels of nutrition knowledge of pre-service health and physical education teachers as well as their ability to provide suitable weight-based advice to overweight adolescents. The influence of degree progression, gender and their own food habits on knowledge and ability was also assessed. Pre-service health and physical educators (n=72) were surveyed at three consecutive points in their degree with a questionnaire designed to extract information on demographics, food habits, nutrition knowledge related to obesity and knowledge about obesity counselling. Degree progression resulted in improvements to nutrition knowledge, as expected. When surveyed just prior to degree completion, scores on repeated measures reflect inaccuracies in obesity related nutrition knowledge and the propensity to advocate inappropriate weight-control advice to future overweight students. Females had higher levels of obesity-related nutrition knowledge than males. Gender was also significantly associated with obesity counselling knowledge among students in their second and fourth years of study and with dieting behaviours in second- and third-year students, with female students more likely to diet for weight control than their male peers. These results identify the need for further research into methods of increasing nutrition knowledge and obesity counselling skills in pre-service health and physical education teachers

Identifying patterns of weight-related health behaviors among US adolescents, and associated risk of obesity

Little is known about the current complex pattern of weight-related health behaviors among adolescents in the US. The goal of this report was to develop and examine a comprehensive latent class analysis (LCA) model examining the prevalence of combined associations of physical activities sedentary behaviors, and eating behaviors with obesity among female and male US adolescents (n= 12,031). Four classes and five classes were identified for female and male adolescents, respectively. Among which, three were similar and were characterized as ‘Inactive/ Low screen time/ Poor eating habit’, ‘Inactive/ Moderately high screen time/ Poor eating habit’, and ‘Active/ Low screen time/ Poor eating habit'. Additionally, ‘Inactive/ Low screen time/Good eating habit’ was unique to female adolescents, while ‘Moderately active/ High screen time/ Good eating habit' and ‘Moderately active/ Low screen time/ Good eating habit' were unique to males. Furthermore, the proportion of normal weight, overweight, and obese in each class was examined across females and males. The results showed that male adolescents had a higher proportion of people being obese than female adolescents in each class. The findings from this report provided insights on the current health needs of US adolescents and implied that gender-specific intervention strategies were required to reduce the risk of obesity among adolescents.Statistic

Nutrition education in portuguese medical students: impact on the attitudes and knowledge

Nutrition has been underrepresented in the curriculum of many medical schools and therefore physicians do not feel adequately prepared to provide dietary counselling. The aim of the present study is to determine the impact of a Nutrition and Metabolism curricular unit on nutrition attitudes, knowledge and confidence on future clinical practice of medical students.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio