Cost and time as obstacles to healthy eating among university students

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12957/demetra.2023.65478

Keywords:

Students. Nutritional Epidemiology Dietary Guidelines.

Abstract

Introduction: The Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population addresses the understanding and overcoming of potential obstacles to adopting a healthy diet, including food costs and time. Objective: To investigate the occurrence of time and cost as obstacles to adequate and healthy eating and its association with demographic and socioeconomic factors in university students. Method: Cross-sectional study carried out from April to May 2019. The evaluated outcomes were cost and time. Exposure variables were sex, age, household composition, paid work, economic class and study shift. Results: 207 students participated in the research. Regarding the cost of food, 76.3% have already stopped buying fruits and/or vegetables due to the price. Regarding time, 69.9% have already stopped preparing a meal due to lack of time. Cost was associated with male gender, age equal to or greater than 30 years, living with friends, studying at night and/or being in the lowest economic class; time has been associated with being male, younger than 30 years old, living alone, studying daytime/full time and/or not working. Conclusion: A large proportion of university students face difficulties, related to time and food costs, to have a proper and healthy diet.

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Published

2023-02-28

How to Cite

Olivier, G. P. F., Almeida, L. C., Baptista, E. F., & Zanini, R. de V. (2023). Cost and time as obstacles to healthy eating among university students. DEMETRA: Food, Nutrition & Health, 18, e65478. https://doi.org/10.12957/demetra.2023.65478

Issue

Vol. 18 (2023)

Section

Food and Nutrition in Collective Health

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