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.

Autore Pugliese

• De Donno Maria Antonella

Tutti gli autori

• Bagordo F. , Grassi T. , Serio F. , Idolo A. , De Donno A.

Titolo volume/Rivista

JOURNAL OF FOOD AND NUTRITION RESEARCH

Anno di pubblicazione

2013

ISSN

1336-8672

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

10

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

23/04/2018

Numero di citazioni Scopus

10

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

23/04/2018

Settori ERC

Non Disponibile

Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile