Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Table of Contents
Abstract 3
I. Introduction 4
II. Review of Literature 4-23
A. Nutrition Among College Students 5-10
1. Changes in Eating and Physical Activity Behaviors 5-7
2. Young Adults’ Food Selection Patterns 7-8
3. Disturbed Eating Behaviors and Psychographic Characteristics 8-10
B. Long-Term Consequences 10-14
1. Obesity and Health Promotion Strategies 10-11
2. Coronary Artery Disease Related to Lifestyle Choices in College 11-13
3. Identifying Clusters of College Students at Elevated Health Risk 13-15
C. What has been done so far?
1. Text Messaging to Improve Dietary Patterns 15
2. E-mailing to Improve Dietary Patterns 16-17
3. Internet Based Nutrition Course to Improve Dietary Patterns 17-18
D. Future Recommendations
1. Dietary Interventions 18-20
2. Understanding Food Choices and Eating Habits 20-21
3. The Impact of Eating and Exercise Habits 21-23
III. Limitations 23-24
IV. Conclusion 24-25
References 26-27
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 3
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the role that eating
habits can play among college students. In order to achieve this goal, research has been gathered
from various scholarly resources including CINAHL, Ovid, and Google Scholar. As a result,
this paper will include a brief background of the current major nutrition problems and trends
among college age students, a few of the short-term and long-term consequences that can
manifest from poor eating habits, and a few of the strategies that have been implemented thus far
to combat these issues. Finally, based on this research, a recommended course of action that
Introduction
The purpose of this research related project is to describe what a literature review of
twelve research articles reviewed by BSN nursing students in an undergraduate nursing research
class revealed about the effects of nutrition on college students. This research group consisting of
four students critically read twelve articles on the relationship of problems associated with
nutrition, the consequences of negative eating habits, what has been done to correct this issue,
and recommendations to improve nutrition among college students. This class assignment is
being implemented to assist in learning the research process and its importance to nursing
practice. The concept of health promotion was chosen by the class to increase the understanding
of this topic with college students. Health promotion was chosen as an important concept in
Healthy People 2020. Through poster presentations students will share current knowledge about
According to the World Health Organization, “obesity is one of the most neglected
diseases of significant public health importance” (Koukourikous & Avramika, 2013, p. 128).
Therefore, with a rise in the number of individuals having obesity as well as other chronic
illnesses today, it is important to examine the dietary and exercise patterns of Americans,
especially college students. Although young adults often do not experience the negative ill
effects of a poor diet right away, eating habits usually form during this stage and can eventually
lead to heart disease and diabetes among other chronic illnesses. As a result, the aim of this
literature review is to primarily examine the eating habits among college students and conclude
with what actions colleges, universities, and nurses can take in order to promote healthy eating.
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 5
In order to better understand how to best implement these measures, a search of the
literature was conducted using the following databases: CINAHL, Ovid, and Google Scholar. A
combination of key words and phrases, such as nutrition among college students and eating
habits of college students, were inputted into the databases. Within the search databases, many
of the journals were over ten years old; however, for the purpose of this paper and for relevancy,
articles were only selected from the past five years. In total, 12 articles were retrieved and
included a mix of qualitative and quantitative studies. Three common themes, which emerged
from the review, included (1) how the transition to college can lead to poor dietary decisions due
to stress and more independence in decision-making, (2) how some college students do not meet
the recommended daily input of fruits and vegetables, and (3) how a number of barriers, such as
time constraints, cost, roommates, availability, and taste, can lead to unhealthy eating habits.
These themes along with others will be discussed as well as limitations and recommendations for
the future.
College is an extremely important time in one’s life. This is when there is a transition
from adolescence to adulthood. During this period, a person is forced to become more
independent, making decisions that will have a long-term impact on his or her life. One aspect
that people really become responsible for is their health. For instance, college students do not
only begin to make choices regarding the types of foods they are going to eat, but also their level
of physical activity. The study conducted by Small, Bailey-Davis, Morgan, and Maggs (2012)
was designed to take a look at approximately 608 students and their eating behaviors and
physical activity levels over seven semesters. A random and diverse population of students was
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 6
chosen during the fall of their freshman year to take part in this study. All of the participants
In general, from the fall semester of their freshman year to the fall semester of their
senior year, these students would take a survey each semester followed by 14 consecutive daily
surveys focusing on dietary behaviors and physical activity levels. This design almost
represented a journal and the students would record their actions from the day before. These
students were also asked to give their gender, height and weight (for BMI calculations), and
living situation (on campus or off campus). At the end of the seven semesters, the results
showed that college students do not necessarily engage in the healthiest behaviors. For instance,
according to Small et al. (2012), the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed declined
approximately 14% from beginning to end. In addition, the frequency of physical activity
Interestingly, the study also examined whether living on or off campus influenced dietary
behaviors and physical activity. In the end, the results revealed that living off campus negatively
impacted both fruit and vegetable consumption as well as moderate physical activity (Small et
al., 2012). One reason for this may be due to the fact that college students living off campus are
limited in many ways. For instance, eating fresh, nutrient rich foods can be difficult because
students may not have access to transportation to grocery stores or other places where these
foods are available. Furthermore, Small et al. (2012) argue that living off campus with
roommates often comes with negotiating not only how foods will be purchased, but also how
they will be cooked and shared. Therefore, in these situations, it is almost easier and more cost-
In conclusion, both fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity are at an all
time low for college students. Furthermore, based on the research conducted, it is evident that
college students do not often meet the national recommendations for daily consumption (Small et
al., 2012). Moreover, it is also evident that whether or not students live on or off campus can
play a role. On top of these obstacles, the heavy workload and lack of time can make it hard to
The study conducted by Lydecker, Palmberg, Hill, and Mazzeo (2015) focused not only
on the eating patterns of college students, but also their food selection patterns. In order to better
understand the correlation between the two, a total of 783 diverse students participated in a two-
part study. From this number, 500 students participated in part one and 283 students participated
in part two.
In part one of the study, 500 students received class credit for taking an online survey that
disinhibition, hunger, and restraint. For example, students were asked where they commonly ate
when they were feeling emotional including a list of any restaurant, convenience store, or other
place that accepted the university’s dining plan (Lydecker et al., 2015). Meanwhile, 283 students
in part two of the study voluntarily completed their survey in class answering where they would
eat when feeling emotional. Instead of including all locations that accepted the university’s
dining plan, the students chose categories of locations that accepted the dining plan (Lydecker et
al., 2015). Clickers were used to record the answers of the participants in the second part of the
study in order to provide anonymity. The results of this study showed that there is a relationship
According to Lydecker et al. (2015), the results suggested that disinhibition and hunger
were associated with buying food when feeling sad, stressed, frustrated, and bored, as opposed to
restraint. It was also determined that “when experiencing emotions, college students more often
selected dining venues they did not normally patronize” (p. 496). Some of these different venues
their eating patterns and where they choose to eat. In other words, as indicated by the study, not
only do college students purchase food when feeling sad, stressed, frustrated, and bored, but they
also tend to buy food at places that they typically would not eat, which can lead to poor food
choices. Moreover, as Lydecker et al. (2015) pointed out, the type of dining plans offered by
different universities can also make it extremely easy for students to binge eat. In other words,
the unlimited portions that come with certain dining plans can lead to overconsumption.
With college being an extremely important and transitional period in one’s life, there are
many changes that occur, especially eating patterns. The purpose of the study conducted by
Quick and Bredbenner (2013) then, was to explore not only the disturbed eating behaviors of
college students, but also the associated psychographic characteristics of college students as well.
In order to achieve this, a diverse group of 2,604 students from three different U.S.
universities were chosen to participate and complete an online survey. This survey was
composed of three different parts looking at different information. In other words, part one was
used to collect demographic information from the participants including sex, age, race, and
ethnicity. Height and weight were also recorded in order to calculate BMI. Meanwhile, part two
of the study took a look at the disturbed eating behaviors of college students. This included
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 9
restriction, binge eating, and inappropriate compensatory behaviors in order to control both
weight and shape (self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, and medication misuse), emotional
eating, disinhibited eating, and night eating. Lastly, part three explored the psychographic
characteristics associated with eating behaviors. This included body image perception,
characteristic associated with disturbed eating behaviors” (p. 2). Basically, this means that
people see things in black and white, and in this case, food is looked at as either good or bad.
Once the surveys were complete, different scales were then used to score each individual
section in order to ensure that the information was accurately measured. Based on the results,
the data revealed that there were not many students that had eating concerns or engaged in
restraining themselves. On the other hand, the occurrence of binge eating was much higher with
approximately one in seven people reporting binge eating at least four times in a 28-day period
Regarding part two of the study, 25% of the participants reported shape and weight
concerns, and physical appearance did play a decent part in the students’ perception of their self-
worth (Quick & Bredbenner, 2013). Furthermore, in regards to psychological characteristics, the
study showed that depression and anxiety were reported by approximately half of the study’s
participants, with many of them also reporting OCD-related symptoms (Quick & Bredbenner,
2013). Lastly, there were not a significant number of participants that reported problems with
the sociocultural environment; however, the students were aware of pressures from the media to
attain the “perfect body” and also indicated some type of pressure from family members (Quick
& Bredbenner, 2013). In conclusion, college students do show disturbed eating behaviors, with
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 10
B. Long-Term Consequences
Obesity, defined as a body mass index greater than or equal to thirty, can negatively
affect a person’s health and lead to the development of numerous health problems. A study
conducted in 2007 analyzed the changes in body weight, composition, and shape in college
students over a period of four years. The researchers in this study reviewed various aspects of
students’ health such as height and weight, body composition, and body shape. Specifically, the
study was to be conducted on 248 college students, a combination of male and female, at the
beginning of their freshman year and the end of their senior year.
According to Gropper, Simmons, Connell, and Ulrich (2012), “college freshman were
randomly recruited from Auburn University’s incoming freshman class via email, flyers, and
class announcements in introductory courses typically taken by first year students at the
beginning of fall semester in 2007” (p. 1119). The people that were excluded from the study
included students under the age of seventeen or over the age of nineteen, pregnant women,
married students, parents of children, students diagnosed with an eating disorder, and those who
enrolled at the university prior to the fall semester of 2007. Assessment of the participants began
at the beginning of their freshman year in late August and early September of 2007, and ended in
Aside from the physical assessment conducted during the start of the study, participants
date of birth, state of permanent residence, and their location of residence while attending
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 11
college. The study initially began with two hundred and forty participants; however, only one
hundred and thirty-one students returned at the end of their senior year to be reassessed.
(3.0 kg), BMI (1.0 kg x m-2), body fat (3.6%), and absolute fat mass (3.2 kg)” (p. 1118). The
study also revealed that 70% of the participants gained weight throughout their four years of
college. In other words, at the beginning of their freshman year, 18% of the students were
classified as overweight-obese; however, the study found that the percentage of overweight-
obese students jumped to 31% at the end of their senior year (Gropper et al., 2012). As a result,
this study revealed a significant decline in students’ health caused by an unhealthy increase in
weight during their college years. According to Gropper et al. (2012) “the distribution of weight,
especially as fat, on the body has been shown to influence health. For example, increased waist
circumference has been associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease” (p.
1122). As a result, this study suggests that additional health promotion strategies be implemented
College students often experience much more freedom now compared to when they were
living at home. For example, during this transition, students have the ability to make their own
choices without needing to receive permission from their parents. Fernandes, Arts, Dimond,
Hirshberg, and Lofgren’s (2013) study examines this topic in-depth. Specifically, the risk
college students have in developing coronary heart disease caused by lifestyle choices such as
diet and level of physical activity. According to Fernandes et al., “risk factors for developing
hypertension, elevated triacylglycerol, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol” (p. 647).
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 12
Unfortunately, a college student’s consumption of a lower quality diet and a decrease in physical
activity compared to their high school years increases the risk of developing coronary heart
disease.
Interestingly, previously conducted research has discovered that college students’ diets
exceed daily recommendations of total fat and saturated fat, and lack the recommended amount
of whole grains and fiber. According to Fernandes et al. (2013), “more than 60% of college
students do not engage in moderate or vigorous physical activity. Poor diet and inactivity in
college contribute to weight gain, which occurs six times faster for college students compared
with young adults not in college” (p. 648). Weight gain that occurs throughout student’s college
years can potentially lead to dyslipidemia and hypertension, which increases the risk of
Overall, this study was conducted on first year college students at the University of
Rhode Island. The study initially consisted of 294, a combination of male and female, between
the ages of 18 and 24. Participants were randomly recruited through flyers, classroom
announcements, and advertisements in the school newspaper. The assessment of each participant
consisted of the measurement of their height and weight, blood pressure, blood draw, three
random twenty-four hour food recalls, and the completion of the International Physical Activity
In conclusion, the study focused on 261 students due to the lack of participation from 33
students previously involved in the study. The results of the study revealed that students with
poor dietary patterns, such as insufficient fiber intake, high BMI, and an increase in the
consumption of sugar and alcohol, placed college students at an increased risk for developing
coronary heart disease. According to Fernandes et al. (2013), “body mass index was most
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 13
strongly associated with coronary heart disease factors, and dietary components were better
predictors in this population than physical activity patterns” (p. 650). As a result, this study
encourages college campuses to make changes to improve the overall health of their students.
Small efforts made my college campuses can majorly impact the well being of college students
According to Greene et al. (2011), “the aims of this study were to use cluster analysis to
and behavioral characteristics, and to validate identified clusters against weight related indicators
of health-related risk in college students” (p. 395). The study was conducted in the fall of 2008
through a program called WebHealth. This program was designed to decrease the rate of
unwanted weight gain in college students by using nutrition and physical activity interventions
over a period of three months. Participants involved in the study were full-time freshmen,
sophomore, and junior students between the ages of 18 and 24. Overall, across eight different
college campuses, 1,689 students participated in the study. Students with a BMI greater than or
equal to 18.5, non-nutrition or exercise science majors, and those that were not pregnant or
Throughout the course of the study, students completed online questionnaires assessing
several aspects of their health. The questionnaires examined students’ demographics, desired
weight, and cognitive and behavioral components of eating behaviors. Researchers assessed
students’ fruit and vegetable intake, level of eating competence, emotional and psychological
stress level, and frequency of physical activity. A physical assessment was also conducted, which
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 14
included the measurement of students’ height and weight, waist circumference, BMI, and their
behaviorally competent, and high risk. The psychosocially secure cluster of students reported
low levels of weight-related concerns, and had high eating competence scores. Men and women
in this cluster expressed healthy behaviors, with the lowest BMI and waist circumference
measurements. Men and women placed in the behaviorally competent cluster had the highest
intake of fruit and vegetables, and the highest level of physical activity. However, researchers
discovered that the men and women in the behaviorally competent cluster were motivated to be
healthy for different reasons due to their gender. For example, the men appeared to be content
with their bodies and eating behaviors. On the other hand, women appeared to be motivated by
losing weight, possibly caused by societal standards of being thin. Lastly, men and women
classified in the high risk cluster desired to lose the greatest amount of weight, had the highest
emotional eating scores, and reported the greatest level of psychological and emotional distress.
The men in women in the high-risk cluster were found to have the highest BMI and waist
Overall, these findings suggest that every person has unique nutritional habits. According
to Greene et al. (2011), “for men, variability in eating competence and cognitive restraint scores
contributed most to the difference between clusters, whereas for women, emotional eating and
uncontrolled eating scores did” (p. 394). Therefore, it is important to recognize that different
efforts must be made in an attempt to promote healthy lifestyles due to the fact that all people are
MyPlate is a visual representation of the amount of each food group that should be
consumed during each of the three main meals in a day and it also emphasizes the importance of
physical activity being incorporated into daily routines. Brown, O’Connor, and Savaiano (2014)
conducted a study to evaluate how nutrition-based text messages being periodically sent to
college students effects their knowledge and fruit and vegetable consumption. During the study,
there were 150 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 24 that participated in the
study; more specifically, the participants were non-health major students who had text messaging
capabilities.
Brown et al. (2014) conducted this study by the intervention group receiving biweekly
text messages that contained the MyPlate icon along with a dietary guideline developed from the
Dietary Guidelines Alliance for seven consecutive weeks. The control group in this study only
received one brochure sent to their houses by mail that contained the information the text
messages contained. By exposing these students in the study to the MyPlate icon and website, it
allowed many of the students to do further investigation into the proper serving sizes of each
At the conclusion of the seven-week study, Brown et al. (2014) revealed that 98% of the
intervention group reported that text messaging is a viable and useful way to distribute health
information during their busy schedules. Along with text messaging being the best way to
communicate with college students in this study, it also showed a better knowledge of the
MyPlate food groups and a significant increase in fruit and vegetable consumption compared to
the control group who only received a single brochure sent by mail.
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 16
As college students begin the transition from being dependent on their parents or
guardians to now being independent adults, eating and health behaviors often become molded
during this period of time. In addition, these behaviors, whether they are good or bad, can carry
on even after college. Unfortunately, Schweitzer, Ross, Klein, Lei, and Mackey (2016) explain
that if these habits involve poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle, it can lead to an increased
risk to diseases later in life such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. Therefore,
a study was conducted to “assess the feasibility and to determine preliminary efficacy of an
electronic wellness program in improving diet and physical activity in college students”
In short, there were 148 subjects, 99 for the intervention group and 49 in the control
group, selected to participate in this study between the ages of 18 and 20 years old on a diverse
college campus. At the end of this study, only 68 intervention group participants and 38 control
group participants made it to the conclusion of the study. In general, Schweitzer et al. (2016)
conducted their study by taking the students body measurements, weight, height, and blood
pressure along with food diaries and physical activity logs at the beginning of the, 12-week
mark, and at the end of the 24-week study. The intervention group received interactive diet and
physical activity goals sent by email through the eHealth intervention. This intervention was
created and managed by NutritionQuest (Schweitzer et al., 2016). Furthermore, the control
group were e-mailed fact sheets that were non-diet and non-physical activity related.
At the halfway or 12-week mark, there was a slight increase in the consumption of fresh
fruits and vegetables; however, there was a significant increase in the consumption of fruits and
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 17
vegetables in the intervention group compared to the control group at the 24-week mark
(Schweitzer et al., 2016). In addition, there was also a decrease in the amount of consumed
saturated fats at both the 12 and 24 week benchmarks. Therefore, in the study conducted by
Schweitzer (2016), the ALIVE program was a feasible way in improving the dietary changes in
the 106 college students who finished the study, but there was no benefit or change measured
In the study conducted by LaChausse (2012), he states that compared to the 29% of
college students in 2000 that were considered overweight or obese, in 2009 that percentage
jumped to 32.5%; therefore, the purpose of his study was to “determine the impact of My
students” (p. 324). In total, 312 college students between the ages of 18 and 25 in undergraduate
studies on an ethnically diverse college campus participated in the study. From this amount, the
participants were further divided among three different interventions: the MSB, an on-campus
According to LaChausse (2012), the difference between these interventions was that the
“MSB participants logged onto the interactive, internet-based program designed to provide
nutrition and physical fitness education for an average of 29.84 times during the 42-week process
[whereas] the on-campus class met once a week for 2 hours a day for the 12 weeks” (p. 325). In
addition, the students who were in this study also took a survey at the beginning of the study and
the end, which included their nutrition and physical activity habits, self-efficacy, stress, attitudes,
and body weight. According to LaChausse (2012), among the 3 different groups in the study,
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 18
there was no change in exercise habits or the students’ attitudes with regards to exercise; also,
Overall, with regards to the impact the MSB online program had on students, the study
indicated that there was an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption, but no improvement for
the on-campus students was evident from the pretest to post-test. Furthermore, the study also
indicated there was a significant decrease in stress among the MSB-Nutrition program students.
In all, LaChausse (2012) states there was “no incidence in the on-campus course students having
better outcomes than the students who are in the MSB-nutrition or comparison group” (p. 329).
1. Dietary Interventions
Kelly, Mazzeo, and Bean’s (2013) work is a systemic review of dietary interventions
among college students. Specifically, their work attempts to clarify potential directions for
future research and practice. In order to achieve this goal, they examine 14 research articles
evaluating interventions targeting dietary outcomes. In addition, they also assign several main
outcome measures including diet/nutrition intake, knowledge, and self-regulation to name a few.
In general, they argue how the transition to college can pose a number of challenges.
Such challenges that Kelly et al. (2013) list include the responsibility of now purchasing and
preparing healthy meals, concerns about the cost of healthy meals, and social factors.
Furthermore, they also point out that stress related to new academic challenges can also play a
role as well. As a result, they believe these factors are one of the main reasons for why the
typical college students’ diet is high in fat, sugar, and sodium. Overall, they argue this is
concerning because poor nutritional intake can lead to a number of negative health outcomes
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 19
such as “the freshman 5” and chronic diseases. As a result, they examine in-person, online, and
First, the in-person intervention examined a couple of nutrition education classes. The
one class they examined focused on dietary intake. In general, this class involved meeting three
times per week for 50 minutes and included personalized and interactive activities based on
participants’ food logs. The three-day food logs revealed “positive dietary changes, including
increases in fruit, vegetable, whole grain, and skim milk consumption; decreases in soda
consumption; and increases in nutritional knowledge” (Kelly et al., 2013, p. 305). However,
because a control group was not used during this study, the researchers believed it was difficult
to determine whether these changes were due to social desirability bias or other cofounding
variables.
By contrast, the online intervention examined a few web-based courses that included
using educational e-mails and newsletters. Interestingly, the one course revealed that “although
changes were noted in the intervention group’s self-regulation and self-efficacy, there we no
between-group difference in dairy intake” (Kelly et al., 2013, p. 309). Lastly, the environmental
intervention examined the idea behind using point-of-purchase strategies. One primary reason for
this is that it is largely believed that by using visually stimulating materials on products, there is
an increased chance of capturing the consumers’ attention. As a result, a few studies were
conducted to see the impact of using such a strategy on buying healthy options over non-healthy
options. One study, for example, that placed vibrant cartoon characters at the entrance of a
dinning hall revealed that there was an increase in the number of healthier selections purchased
over the two-week intervention (Kelly et al., 2013). However, the researchers believe a number
of cofounding variables, such as changes in mood and priorities, could influence these outcomes.
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 20
In conclusion, it is evident that colleges and universities are working towards promoting
healthier eating habits through several environmental and programmatic strategies. Although
one strategy did not fully solve the problem or come without its shortcomings, the systematic
strategies have the potential to facilitate changes in students’ dietary intake” (Kelly et al., 2013,
p. 312). Therefore, more rigorous studies should be geared towards self-regulation in the future.
Gustave Ado’s (2015) study is an attempt to better understand how certain barriers, such
as tight budgets and time constraints to prepare healthy meals, can cause some college students
to have poor dietary patterns, which can ultimately predispose these students to future health
problems. As a result, the aim of Ado’s study is to provide a current assessment of students’
eating behaviors at a community college located in New Jersey. Specifically, this assessment is
geared towards understanding the eating and exercising habits the students followed in their
daily lives as well as their perspectives on fast food, plant-based foods, and physical activity
using a mixed method. In other words, the study included using both a likert scale survey
ranging from 1-5 with 105 students as well as holding 30-60 minute individual interview
Overall, one of the main emergent themes from the surveys conducted was that only a
small percentage of participants reported consuming the recommended number of servings for
fruits and vegetables, which can result in significant health consequences (Ado, 2015).
Interestingly, based on the interview transcripts, a few of the main reasons for why there is a low
consumption of healthy meals included cost, taste, and inadequate nutritional knowledge.
Furthermore, interview data also revealed that a number of students ate unhealthy meals because
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 21
of their lack of cooking skills. By contrast, in regards to physical activity habits, several students
indicated that they do not exercise regularly mostly due to time constraints. In addition, students
also blamed the absence of bike lanes on New Jersey’s public roads and felt the community
college itself encouraged sedentary lifestyles by not promoting students to actively move around
the classroom.
In conclusion, although it is evident that a number of colleges and universities have tried
to implement various strategies to promote healthy eating, Ado (2015) points out that “these
more frequently for longer duration in order to have a real impact on their eating patterns” (p. 4).
Furthermore, there also needs to be more focus on training about eating patterns, modifications
to unhealthy food options on campus, and food price reductions on healthy meals.
Ruggeri and Seguin’s (2016) study discusses the current eating and exercise habits
among traditional college students at a liberal arts college in Columbia, Missouri. They believe
both of these factors are important to examine since many life-long habits can form from them,
especially during this period of an individual’s life. For example, Ruggeri and Seguin (2016)
argue that the medical costs related to obesity, is expected to exceed the cost of smoking in the
Although a number of studies have been conducted thus far in regards to eating habits
among college students to combat obesity among other health issues, only a few have addressed
the role environmental factors play in affecting eating behaviors. As a result, Ruggeri and
Seguin (2016) attempt to fill this gap by exploring the impact of point-of-selection nutrition
information. In order to achieve this goal, an online survey was e-mailed during the Spring 2014
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 22
semester to individuals enrolled as day students via their assigned e-mail address, or 884
students. During this study, evening, online, and students attending satellite campuses were
minutes. The main topics covered in the survey ranged from overall health to awareness of
nutritional information posted in the dinning hall. Furthermore, the survey also examined the
frequency of visits to 14 popular national fast food chain restaurants, with Taco Bell and
McDonald’s being the most frequented restaurants (Ruggeri & Seguin, 2016). Overall, 96
From this percentage, the survey revealed that in regards to overall level of health “39%
of participants indicated they were somewhat healthy, 26% reported average health, 2% reported
very unhealthy, and 16% indicated they were very health” (Ruggeri & Seguin, 2016, p. 197). On
the other hand, in regards to exercise, the primary means of exercise were walking and
running/jogging. Next, in regards to consuming fast food “students visited fast food restaurants
an average of 3.79 times per week” (Ruggeri & Seguin, 2016, p. 197). Interestingly, the study
also revealed that students residing in a residence hall on campus ate at a fast food restaurant
more frequently than those who lived off campus (Ruggeri & Seguin, 2016). The primary reason
noted for consuming fast food included convenience, quality/taste, and price.
Finally, in regards to being aware of nutritional information for meals being posted in the
dining hall “27% of the students indicated they were aware, 23% indicated that no nutritional
information was in the dining hall, and 51% stated that they did not know whether or not
nutritional information was posted” (Ruggeri & Seguin, 2016, p. 197). This statistic further
indicates that “students who were aware of the posted nutritional information also ate at fast food
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 23
restaurants less often (2.68 times per week) than those who stated no information was posted
(3.52 times per week) and those who did not know the information was posted (4.38 times per
In conclusion, Ruggeri and Seguin (2016) believe that posting nutritional information in
the dinning hall has little effect, since roughly more than 50% of students were unaware that
information was even posted. However, considering the study revealed that the students who
frequently read the nutrition labels consume fast food less frequently than those who do not read
them, posting information in a different location to attract students’ attention may lead to smarter
choices. In addition, they also recommend using alternative content of nutritional information to
encourage healthier eating choices such as indicating which food options are healthier
alternatives. Furthermore, they also suggest that considering students living on campus eat fast
food more frequently than those living off campus may indicate a need for extended hours of the
campus dinning hall or other on-campus food restaurants. Finally, since the survey was
conducted from one college in the Midwest, they argue it can raise external validity issues. As a
result, they believe future research should include more diverse educational settings.
III. Limitations
Similar to other research studies, a number of limitations were evident in each of the 12
articles examined. These methodological limitations ranged from the sample sizes used in the
studies to self-reported data. In other words, in regards to the sample sizes used, considering a
few of the studies were limited to either one or three colleges it is difficult to thus conclude that
the results can be generalized or transferred to other colleges. This is primarily due to the small
number of participants sampled as well as the location of each college among other external
variables. On the other hand, a number of studies also listed self-reported data as a limitation as
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 24
well. One potential source of this bias can be exaggeration. For example, according to Lydecker
et al. (2015), “participants might have underestimated or overestimated their responses because
In addition, to sample size and self-reported data, longitudinal effects also appear to be a
limitation of the articles. In other words, due to time constraints, the majority of researchers did
not measure the long-term effectiveness of their interventions. Furthermore, the reliability of
data gathered can also be considered a limitation. For instance, Brown et al. (2014) points out
that when analyzing the results of the MyPlate study, there was no tracker to guarantee that
students read the text messages sent. Therefore, this factor could have influenced the data.
Despite these limitations and shortcomings, all of the articles contained several strengths and
suggested useful hypotheses to consider in the future as far as how to improve dietary patterns
colleges and universities to promote health-eating strategies. As indicated above, some of these
interventions have proven to be successful within a small population, while others have not made
much of an influence. Based on this, it is evident that further integration needs to occur with
more diverse campuses to see the effectiveness of these strategies on a much larger scale, which
In addition, it is also evident that a holistic approach needs to be used. In other words,
physiological, psychological, emotional, and social factors all need to be taken into account in
order to address the complexity of dietary patterns among college students. One primary reason
for this is because of the amount of stress that often occurs when transitioning into college as
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 25
well as the number of new barriers that can accompany it such as time restraint. Therefore,
practitioners need to shift their way of thinking that eating less and exercising more is the only
Although these two components can greatly reduce weight and prevent further chronic
illnesses in the future, it is also important to examine the psychological reasons behind why an
individual is over indulging in food as well as take into account the genetic and environmental
treatment plans, since they do not target the underlying cause. As a result, it would also be
beneficial to do more longitudinal studies on a larger scale to help clarify cause and effect
relationships and to gain further insight into more effective and efficient treatment options. For
instance, one research question in the future can be- does the stress of a college students’ major
cause the student to over indulge in food? By contrast, in terms of environment- does the setting
Finally, although the purpose of this paper primarily focused on college students, it is
also evident that further teaching needs to occur early on. In other words, statistically speaking
“in 2010, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese”
(“Childhood,” 2013, p. 1). Unfortunately, when developing in children, this condition can lead to
both immediate and long-term effects on overall health and wellbeing. Therefore, considering
children often learn by observation and thus try to copy their parents’ eating habits, it is essential
to promote and teach healthy eating habits to this population. Moreover, it is also essential that
resources, such as nurse educators, dietitians, 24-hour phone availability, and school support
programs, are made available to this population as well, especially for children who are
overweight or obese. By implementing this type of comprehensive care early on, revising
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS 26
nutrition courses to make them more applicable, promoting exercise inside and outside the
classroom, offering healthier food options and extending the hours of on-campus restaurants, it is
likely that the dietary patterns among college students can improve. Moreover, it is likely that
these strategies can decrease the number of chronic illnesses in the future.
EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS
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