Impact of living arrangements and nationality on food habits and nutrient intakes in young adults

How young adults in Australia classify foods as healthy and unhealthy

Young Australian adults exhibit poor food behaviour however, there is limited research as to why young adults choose to eat healthy or unhealthy foods. This study aimed to explore how young adults' (18-30 years) in Australia classify foods as healthy and unhealthy. Through a social-constructivist approach, 38 young adults (76% females and 21% males; mean age = 24.1 years) were interviewed Australia-wide. Data were thematically analysed. Participants were classified into three groups based on their living arrangements namely, parental, shared and independent households. Four themes emerged, food preparation; food groups; nutrient composition and perceived impact. Food classification criteria based on nutrients were the most frequently used criterion to classify foods as unhealthy. A strong emphasis was placed on avoiding less healthy nutrients and there were limited discussions about beneficial nutrients. Participants belonging to the different household groups defined 'moderation' in several ways to justify their consumption of unhealthy foods. Reading food labels was a key criterion for evaluating healthiness amongst the participants of the parental and independent household groups, not among the shared household group. Findings reveal how living arrangements influenced young adults' perceptions of healthiness. Future public health policy could incorporate the language of young adults identified in this study in the transfer of nutritional knowledge to young adults.

Determinants of eating behaviour in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) university students when living at and away from home: With a focus on the influence of food enculturation and food acculturation

For some students, university, can be a period of increased autonomy in food choice and for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) and international students, the addition of culture may be a governing factor. This study aimed to examine the extent of dietary acculturation and dietary enculturation on the influence of student's food choices using a phenomenological approach. Sixty participants (forty-one home students and nineteen international students) recruited by purposive sampling, were included in the study. Data collection involved self-administered multiple choice and short answer questionnaires and semi structured interviews. The results were analysed using thematic analysis. When living away from home, six major themes influenced the eating behaviour of the studied population: social environment, individual factors, physical environment, university life, enculturation and acculturation. When at home, five major themes were influential: social environment, individual factors, physical environment, enculturation and acculturation. The main findings suggest dietary enculturation is a factor which influences the dietary behaviour of both international students and BAME home students.

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Association with Self-Perception of Diet Sustainability, Anthropometric and Sociodemographic Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italian Adults

The adoption of sustainable dietary models, such as the Mediterranean Diet (MD), can be a valuable strategy to preserve ecosystems and human health. This study aims to investigate in an Italian adult representative sample the adherence to the MD and to what extent it is associated with the self-perceived adoption of a sustainable diet, the consideration of the MD as a sustainable dietary model, and anthropometric and sociodemographic factors. By applying an online survey (n = 838, 18-65 years, 52% female), an intermediate level of MD adherence (median: 4.0, IR: 3.0-4.0) in a 0-9 range was observed. Only 50% of the total sample confirmed the MD as a sustainable dietary model, and 84% declared no or low perception of adopting a sustainable diet. Being female, having a higher income and education level, considering the MD as a sustainable dietary model, as well as the perception of having a sustainable diet were the most relevant factors influencing the probability of having a high score (≥6) of adherence to the MD. This study suggests a gradual shift away from the MD in Italy and supports the need to address efforts for developing intervention strategies tailored to adults for improving diet quality. Furthermore, a public campaign should stress the link between a diet and its environmental impact to foster nutritionally adequate and eco-friendly dietary behaviors.

Demographic, Behavioural and Anthropometric Correlates of Food Liking: A Cross-sectional Analysis of Young Adults

The degree to which foods are liked or disliked is associated with dietary intake and health behaviours. However, most food liking research has focused on single foods and nutrients and few studies have examined associations with demographics and health behaviours. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between food liking and socio-demographics, health behaviours, diet quality and body mass index (BMI) in a sample of young Australian adults. Data from 1728 undergraduate students (21.8 (standard deviation [SD] 6.0) years; 76% female) were used. Food liking scores and a diet quality index (Dietary Guideline Index, DGI) were estimated from a Food Liking Questionnaire and Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), respectively. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to assess the association between food liking and correlates. Young adults with higher liking for encouraged core foods were older, female, did their own food shopping, consumed less packaged foods and had better diet quality. Higher liking for discretionary foods and beverages was associated with less healthy behaviours, such as smoking, higher BMI and lower diet quality. These results suggest that food liking measures may offer an appropriate methodology for understanding influences on young adults' food choices, adding to the body of literature investigating the potential for food liking scores to assess diet-disease relationships.

Relationship between Hedonic Hunger and Health Interest on Habit and Sodium Intake Patterns in Food Consumption

Many people are motivated to eat healthily but find it difficult to override established and less healthy habits. Habits, by their nature, are unconscious and cued by the environment, thus making them powerful determinants of behavior. This study examined how hedonic hunger and health interest are related to habit and whether sodium consumption is mediated by hedonic hunger, health interest, and habit. A total of 117 students of Universitas Brawijaya took part in the study. Data analysis were done using Partial Least Square (PLS) and a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQ-FFQ). PLS was used to analyze the influence of the relationship between independent and dependent variables. SQ-FFQ was used to determine sodium intake in grams/day. The average sodium intake in this study was 2.47 grams/day. This analysis shows that hedonic hunger and health interest had a significant impact on health habits but not on sodium intake.

Cultural Beliefs, Perceptions, and Practices of Young Adult Offspring of African Immigrants Regarding Healthy Eating and Activity

INTRODUCTION

African immigrants and their offspring are increasing in the United States. Yet little is known about the beliefs, perceptions, and practices of second-generation African immigrants regarding healthy eating and physical activities within the context of culture and environment.

METHOD

Five small group interviews using a focused ethnography qualitative method were conducted with 20 college-age students who were offspring of African immigrants. Data were analyzed using Leininger's four phases of analysis.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged: (1) family, community, and religious ties to traditional African foods; (2) traditional African cuisine as healthy and american foods as nonhealthy; (3) eating patterns vary according to availability and resources; and (4) exercise patterns have familial, peer-driven, and generational influences.

DISCUSSION

African food was a connection to family and the African community. Food choices and activities were strongly influenced by accessibility, social structures, and the environment. Dietary and activity-based interventions should include both American and African influences.

Effect of default menus on food selection and consumption in a college dining hall simulation study

OBJECTIVE

To test an obesity prevention strategy derived from behavioural economics (optimal defaults plus delay), focused on changing the college dining hall service method.

DESIGN

After a uniform pre-load, participants attended an experimental lunch in groups randomized to one of three conditions: a nutrient-dense, lower-fat/energy lunch as an optimal default (OD); a less-nutrient-dense, higher-fat/energy lunch as a suboptimal default (SD); or a free array (FA) lunch. In the OD condition, students were presented a menu depicting healthier vegetarian and omnivore foods as default, with opt-out alternatives (SD menu) available on request with a 15 min wait. In the SD condition, the same menu format was used with the positioning of food items switched. In the FA condition, all choices were presented in uniform fonts and were available immediately.

SETTING

Private rooms designed to provide a small version of a college dining hall, on two campuses of a Northeastern US university.

SUBJECTS

First-year college students (n 129).

RESULTS

There was a significant main effect for condition on percentage of optimal choices selected, with 94 % of food choices in the OD condition optimal, 47 % in the FA condition optimal and none in the SD condition optimal. Similarly, energy intake for those in the SD condition significantly exceeded that in the FA condition, which exceeded that in the OD condition.

CONCLUSIONS

Presenting menu items as optimal defaults with a delay had a significant impact on choice and consumption, suggesting that further research into its long-term applicability is warranted.

Explaining Vegetable Consumption among Young Adults: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour

Although fruit and vegetable consumption is highly recommended for a healthy and balanced daily diet, several European countries do not meet these recommendations. In Italy, only 45% of young people are consuming at least one portion of vegetables per day. Therefore, this paper aims to understand the main determinants of vegetables consumption among young adults to suggest possible intervention strategies. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a samples of Italian students (n = 751), using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as a conceptual framework. A structural equation model (SEM) was developed to test the TPB predictors for vegetable consumption, and the role of background factors (socio-demographic and personal characteristics) in improving the TPB model’s explaining power. Overall, 81% and 68%, respectively, of intentions and behaviour variance is explained by the TPB model. Socio-demographic and personal characteristics were found to influence intentions and behaviour indirectly by their effects on the theory’s more proximal determinants. Interventions should be targeted to improve perceived behavioural control (PBC), attitudes and subjective norms that significantly affect intentions. Tailored interventions for male students, enrolled in courses other than food science, and doing less physical activity may have a larger effect on behavioural change.

Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption among Chinese older adults: do living arrangements matter?

This study used five waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey to examine the relationship between living arrangements, smoking, and drinking among older adults in China from 1998–2008. We found that living arrangements had strong implications for cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption among the elderly. First, the likelihood of smoking was lower among older men living with children, and older women living either with a spouse, or with both a spouse and children; and the likelihood of drinking was lower among both older men, and women living with both a spouse and children, compared with those living alone. Second, among dual consumers (i.e., being a drinker and a smoker), the amount of alcohol consumption was lower among male dual consumers living with children, while the number of cigarettes smoked was higher among female dual consumers living with others, compared with those living alone. Third, among non-smoking drinkers, the alcohol consumption was lower among non-smoking male drinkers in all types of co-residential arrangements (i.e., living with a spouse, living with children, living with both a spouse and children, or living with others), and non-smoking female drinkers living with others, compared with those living alone. Results highlighted the importance of living arrangements to cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption among Chinese elderly. Co-residential arrangements provided constraints on Chinese older adults’ health-risk behaviors, and had differential effects for men and women.

Micronutrient supplement use and diet quality in university students

Many national and international public health organisations recommend achieving nutrient adequacy through consumption of a wide variety of nutritious foods. Despite this, dietary supplement sales continue to increase. Understanding the characteristics of micronutrient supplement users and the relationship with diet quality can help develop effective public health interventions to reduce unnecessary consumption of vitamin and mineral supplements. Participants (n = 1306) were a convenience sample of students studying first year food and nutrition. Data was collected via a Food and Diet Questionnaire (FDQ) and a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Supplement users were defined as participants who indicated consuming any listed supplement as frequently as once a month or more. Diet quality was assessed using a Dietary Guideline Index (DGI) score. Prevalence of supplement use was high in this study population with 56% of participants reporting supplement use; the most popular supplements consumed were multivitamins (28%) and vitamin C (28%). A higher DGI score was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of supplement use (mean: 105 ± 18 vs. 109 ± 17, p = 0.001). Micronutrient supplement use was associated with a higher DGI score, suggesting that supplements are more likely to be used by those who are less likely to require them.

Diet quality in young adults and its association with food-related behaviours

OBJECTIVE

To determine the diet quality of a group of young adults and explore its associations with two food-related behaviours (involvement in meal preparation and consumption of commercially prepared meals).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study of young adults. Sample characteristics, food-related behaviours and dietary intake were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire including an FFQ. Diet quality was measured using the fifteen-item Dietary Guideline Index (DGI) designed to assess adherence to Australian dietary guidelines. One-way ANOVA, t tests and multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the relationships between DGI scores, sample characteristics and food-related behaviours.

SETTING

University students enrolled in an undergraduate nutrition class, Melbourne, Australia.

SUBJECTS

Students (n 309) aged 18-36 years.

RESULTS

The DGI score was normally distributed, with a mean score of 93·4 (sd 17·1) points (range 51·9-127·4 points), out of a possible score of 150 points. In multivariate analyses adjusted for age, sex, nationality, BMI and maternal education, cooking meals for oneself was positively associated with DGI score (β = 0·15; 95 % CI 1·15, 10·03; P = 0·01); frequency of takeaway and frequency of convenience meal consumption were inversely associated with DGI score (β = -0·21; 95 % CI -9·96, -2·32; P = 0·002 and β = -0·16; 95 % CI -7·40, -0·97; P < 0·01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Cooking meals for oneself was linked to higher diet quality among young adults, while consumption of commercially prepared meals was associated with poorer diet quality. Maintaining education programmes that promote cooking skills within young adults has the potential to improve DGI scores.

Transitions in living arrangements are associated with changes in dietary patterns in young women

Household composition influences people's diet, so typical transitions in young women's lives, including cohabitation, marriage, and motherhood, might be expected to influence their subsequent dietary behavior. The objective was to examine associations between transitions in living arrangements and changes in energy intake and dietary patterns for women in their 20s and 30s using longitudinal data collected in 2003 and 2009. FFQ were collected twice from 6534 women born in 1973-1978 participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Transition groups were defined from changes in their living arrangements. Factor analysis was used to identify dietary patterns. Associations between transitions in living arrangements and changes in energy intake and dietary pattern scores were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Women living with children had greater energy intake than other women initially and those who started a family had the greatest increases over time. Five similar dietary patterns were derived from both surveys. Women living in a family at both times had higher scores on the high-fat and sugar, meat, and cooked vegetables patterns and lower scores on the Mediterranean-style and fruit patterns than other women. Women starting a family increased their consumption of the high-fat and sugar, fruit, and cooked vegetables patterns. Women not living with children at both times had increased scores on the Mediterranean-style pattern and decreased scores on the high-fat and sugar and cooked vegetables patterns compared with other women. In conclusion, starting a family is associated with changes in women's diet that are mainly unhealthy.