The aim of this study was to assess the eating habits of a group of university students, to highlight any differences between students living at and away from home and to examine aspects of their health and nutritional status. One hundred and ninety-three undergraduate students at the University of Salento (Lecce, Italy) completed a self-administered food habits questionnaire divided into three major sections: demographic, social and cultural characteristics, eating habits, health information. Students living at home got more physical exercise and consumed higher quantities of cooked vegetables, fish, meat products, chips, bread/cereals, pulses, cooked meals and sandwiches. In contrast, students living away from home were characterized by higher consumption of raw vegetables, beer and alcoholic drinks, raw/cold meals, frozen meals and ready meals. Moreover, students living alone reported a greater number of episodes of gastroenteritis and perceived that they had a larger body mass. Student lifestyles and living arrangements were associated with a shift away from the Mediterranean diet and would appear to expose students to the risk of food-borne illness. This appeared more evident among students living away from home, for whom the assumption of primary responsibility for food shopping and preparation can lead to unhealthy dietary habits.

Dietary habits and health among university students living at or away from home in southern Italy

BAGORDO, Francesco;GRASSI, Tiziana;SERIO, FRANCESCA;IDOLO, ADELE;DE DONNO, Maria Antonella
2013-01-01

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the eating habits of a group of university students, to highlight any differences between students living at and away from home and to examine aspects of their health and nutritional status. One hundred and ninety-three undergraduate students at the University of Salento (Lecce, Italy) completed a self-administered food habits questionnaire divided into three major sections: demographic, social and cultural characteristics, eating habits, health information. Students living at home got more physical exercise and consumed higher quantities of cooked vegetables, fish, meat products, chips, bread/cereals, pulses, cooked meals and sandwiches. In contrast, students living away from home were characterized by higher consumption of raw vegetables, beer and alcoholic drinks, raw/cold meals, frozen meals and ready meals. Moreover, students living alone reported a greater number of episodes of gastroenteritis and perceived that they had a larger body mass. Student lifestyles and living arrangements were associated with a shift away from the Mediterranean diet and would appear to expose students to the risk of food-borne illness. This appeared more evident among students living away from home, for whom the assumption of primary responsibility for food shopping and preparation can lead to unhealthy dietary habits.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11587/385424
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