Excessive consumption of snacks, fast food and sugary drinks is common among university students, who consume fruits and vegetables on rare occasions. This is reflected in a new work carried out by researchers from the Health Sciences Studies of the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), in which the main barriers that students face when cooking and cooking have also been identified. follow a healthy diet at this vital time.
The main obstacle that experts identified was a lack of motivation. "Although time scarcity is frequently mentioned, this lack is more linked to personal priorities," says Anna Bach Faig, researcher at the FoodLab group and one of the authors of the study. The lack of culinary knowledge and skills, as well as social pressure, the lack of equipped kitchens in student flats, easy access to prepared food and the high prices of healthy food are other barriers that prevent university students from continuing a healthy diet.
Using surveys and photovoice techniques, the researchers analyzed 24 young people between 18 and 22 years old, both men and women, to evaluate their perceptions, behavior and adherence to healthy eating and cooking at home. They also tracked the main recipes that university students use in their daily lives and the prejudices and concepts that students have about what a healthy diet entails from the beginning of this formative stage.
The lack of motivation of these young people is intensified by a lack of culinary self-efficacy, "since they lack the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare quick, accessible and nutritious meals," says Francesc Xavier Medina, researcher at FoodLab, professor of Food Studies. Health Sciences and another of the experts behind the study. They prioritize social and academic commitments instead of spending time preparing healthy meals.
As a result, and although the university stage is crucial for the development of identity and the adoption of healthy dietary habits, "university students show low adherence to the Mediterranean diet," says Patricia Jurado González, FoodLab researcher and lead author of the investigation. These are conclusions that worry experts, since this behavior among students can lead to long-term health problems.
In fact, scientific evidence shows that the first year of college is particularly susceptible to weight gain, they add. Data from the latest National Health survey reflect that around 17% of young people between 18 and 24 years old are overweight and 8% are obese. And it affects the male population to a greater extent.
Among the reasons that explain the poor adherence of university students to a healthy diet, the authors of the research highlight the lack of culinary education due to the loss of habits in domestic cooking. For this reason, the debate about the need to introduce nutrition training in schools has been on the table for years, as journalist Laura Conde explains in this report.
Changing social habits at this stage, a fast-paced lifestyle, and a food environment with constant exposure to unhealthy options can also play a role.
Some prejudices identified in students by this team of researchers, such as that "eating healthy is very expensive" and that "cooking a healthy dish requires a lot of time" are other factors to highlight.
The UOC research participants agree that their diet has worsened since they started university, as they eat fewer vegetables, legumes and fish, and base their meals on pasta or rice accompanied by grilled protein sources such as eggs, chicken or tuna.
Given this panorama, experts believe that it may be interesting to promote educational programs through social networks to promote knowledge and culinary self-efficacy with the participation of the students themselves in their design. They also consider that we must take advantage of the influence of the social environment at this stage of life as a key factor for the adoption of good eating habits.
