Analysis of the food consumption of university students at a private higher education institution in São Luís-MA

Abstract

The food consumption of university students is influenced by several factors, including the perception of healthy eating, economic issues and the availability of time to prepare and eat meals, which can be seen as a future public health problem. Thus, the research aimed to assess food consumption and the perception of healthy eating among university students at a private university in São Luís-MA. This is an analytical and cross-sectional study with 192 university students, using the Food Frequency Questionnaire, socioeconomic questionnaire and questionnaire on the perception of healthy eating. Of the total sample, 78.65% belonged to the female gender, aged between 18 and 66 years and an average of 22 years. The daily food consumption of this population was characterized by the high prevalence of foods considered unhealthy as drinks with added sugar (66.1%) and low consumption of foods considered healthy, such as fruits (32.8%), vegetables (29.2%), meat and eggs (29.7%). The nutritional knowledge of this population was classified as moderate (61.98%). As a result, the need for informative and educational activities related to the promotion of healthy eating within the university environment was perceived as a tool for promoting healthy habits in the long term.