Examining diet quality among postsecondary students: a cross-sectional analysis of personal, social, structural, and environmental correlates.
Poor diet quality can negatively affect postsecondary students' physical health, mental well-being, and academic performance. This cross-sectional study examined personal, social, structural, and environmental correlates of diet quality among 1,118 postsecondary students aged 17-25 years enrolled in a postsecondary institution across Ontario, Canada. Participants completed an online survey and the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool (ASA24). Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 total score. Multiple regression showed that higher diet quality was associated with a more positive attitude towards healthy eating (p < 0.001), greater nutrition knowledge (p < 0.001), more frequent dinner preparation (p < 0.001), and living in the family home (p < 0.05). Lower diet quality was linked to not following a special diet (e.g. vegetarian; p < 0.01) and experiencing frequent food insecurity (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that initiatives to improve student diet quality should promote positive attitudes towards healthy eating, enhance nutrition knowledge, and address food insecurity.
Authors
Schaafsma Schaafsma, Seabrook Seabrook, McEachern McEachern, Haines Haines, Minaker Minaker, Doherty Doherty, O'Connor O'Connor, Stranges Stranges, Gilliland Gilliland
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