Dietary intake and eating practices of university students in the UK

Background: University represents a key event in the transition from youth to adulthood for a substantial proportion of young adults in the UK. There is evidence that UK university students consume poor quality diets, with potential long-term health implications. However, contemporary studies are scarce and limited in scope. Aim: This research aimed to explore the food choices of university students in the UK. Objectives were to: assess dietary adequacy and patterns among UK university students and associated socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics; explore students’ experiences and values in relation to dietary patterns; and to identify students’ eating behaviours associated with body weight gain. Methods: A multi-methods research design comprising three phases of data collection was employed. An online food frequency questionnaire was administered to undergraduate students at five UK universities to assess dietary adequacy and patterns, with subsequent principal components analysis. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 25 undergraduate students and analysed thematically. An online survey among student members of a national weight loss programme was also undertaken with subsequent analysis. Findings: Dietary analyses revealed intake of several key nutrients and food groups outside of recommendations and four major dietary patterns: ‘vegetarian’; ‘snacking’; ‘health-conscious’; and ‘convenience, red meat & alcohol’. Several socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics were associated with these patterns. Food choice experiences were complex and involved four substantive themes. Themes encompassed students’ relationships with peers and their dietary decisions at university, the impact of the unique university experience on food choice, aspirations of – and threats to – making healthful choices at university, and students becoming autonomous consumers. Cooking ability and consumption of fruit and vegetables, convenience/fast food and alcohol were significantly associated with body weight gain at university. Conclusions: There is heterogeneity in food intake and dietary practices amongst university students, with implications for enhancements to university food and welfare policies

Eating habits associated with body weight gain in female university students : a UK-based study of Slimming World members

Purpose: To examine dietary habits, cooking skills, physical activity levels and perceived reasons for weight gain in relation to levels of body weight gain among university students in the UK. Design/methodology/approach: This study explored factors associated with body weight gain in a cross-sectional study of British university students who were actively trying to lose weight. University student members of a national commercial slimming programme completed an online survey about weight gain, eating habits, cooking abilities and physical activity levels. Non-parametric tests and regression analysis were employed to examine factors associated with weight gain. Findings: The dataset comprised 272 current students. The majority of students (67%) reported weight gain between 3.2 and 12.7 kg during university: 20.4% reported to have gained >12.7 kg. Students commonly attributed their weight gain to academic stress and nearly all identified with needing support to learn to cook on a budget. Students reporting greatest weight gain had most frequent consumption of ready meals & convenience foods, take-away & fast foods, and least frequent consumption of fruits & vegetables. Weight-stable students reported lowest consumption of alcohol and were most able to cook complex meals. Students who reported greatest weight gain reported lower physical activity levels. There were inter-correlations between cooking ability and lifestyle factors. In a multivariate model, low physical activity and frequent consumption of ready meals and convenience food independently predicted weight gain. Research limitations/implications: Prospective studies are needed to confirm these cross-sectional associations and to qualitatively explore how the university setting may contribute to the effects. Practical implications: Strategies to address students’ reliance on fast and convenience food, avoidance of fruit and vegetables, poor cooking confidence and low physical activity may benefit student health and well-being. Social implications: Originality/value: The study adds additional perspective to understanding student weight gain at university in that it focuses on a a body weight-conscious sub-group of the student population, as opposed to the general population of student

Dietary patterns of university students in the UK: a multi-centre, cross-sectional study

Background: University represents a key transition into adulthood for many adolescents but there are associated concerns about health and behaviours. One important aspect relates to diet and there is emerging evidence that university students may consume poor quality diets, with potential implications for body weight and long-term health. This research aimed to characterise dietary patterns of university students in the UK and their sociodemographic and lifestyle antecedents.Methods: An online, cross-sectional survey was undertaken with a convenience sample of 1448 university students from five UK universities (King’s College London, Universities of St Andrews, Southampton and Sheffield, and Ulster University). The survey comprised a validated food frequency questionnaire alongside lifestyle and sociodemographic questions. Dietary patterns were generated from food frequency intake data using principal components analysis. Nutrient intakes were estimated to characterise the nutrient profile of each dietary pattern. Associations with sociodemographic variables were assessed through general linear modelling.Results: Dietary analyses revealed four major dietary patterns: ‘vegetarian’; ‘snacking’; ‘health-conscious’; and ‘convenience, red meat & alcohol’. The ‘health-conscious’ pattern had the most favourable micronutrient profile. Students’ gender, age, year of study, geographical location and cooking ability were associated with differences in pattern behaviour. Female students favoured the ‘vegetarian’ pattern, whilst male students preferred the ‘convenience, red meat & alcohol’ pattern. Less healthful dietary patterns were positively associated with lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, low physical activity and take-away consumption. The health-conscious pattern had greatest nutrient density. The ‘convenience, red meat & alcohol’ pattern was associated with higher weekly food spending; this pattern was also identified most consistently across universities. Students reporting greater cooking ability tended towards the ‘vegetarian’ and ‘health-conscious’ patterns.Conclusions: Food intake varied amongst university students. A substantial proportion of students followed health-promoting diets, which had good nutrient profiles obviating a need for dietary intervention. However, some students consumed poor diets, incurred greater food costs and practised unfavourable lifestyle behaviours, which may have long-term health effects. University policy to improve students’ diets should incorporate efforts to promote student engagement in cooking and food preparation, and increased availability of low cost healthier food items