Dietary patterns, behaviours, and their associated factors among university students in coastal Kenya

Abstract

Unhealthy dietary habits are common among university students and are associated with increased incidence of lifestyle and chronic illnesses. There are few studies, if any, on university students’ dietary habits and patterns from the Kenyan setting. This study seeks to describe the dietary patterns, behaviours and knowledge/lifestyle choices among undergraduate university students in a university setting in coastal Kenya. We employed a cross-sectional study design with a sample of 72 undergraduate students at Pwani university, Kenya. Data was collected using a semi-structured food frequency questionnaire that also provided lifestyle and sociodemographic information and dietary patterns. All statistical analyses including descriptive analyses, inferential statistics using Z-tests, t-tests, chi-square tests and univariate and multivariable logistic regression. This study included students aged 18–26 years, most of whom were aged 21–24 years (59.7%), with a higher representation of females (67.6%). Most students reported having balanced diet (72.2%), embraced healthy lifestyle choices including no smoking (97.2%), no alcohol (84.7%), regular exercise (70.8%), own preparation of meals (57.0%), regularity in eating (45.8%), and had normal BMI status (69.4%). Most students reported being aware of what entails healthy nutrition (62.5%). There were notable differences in specific dietary behaviours including fruit and vegetable consumption, regularity in eating, consumption of balanced diet and dietary diversity. Such differences were associated with at least one of the following: BMI (OR = 0.72, p = 0.01), own meal preparation (OR = 4.60, p = 0.04) and snacking behaviours (OR = 11.4, p < 0.0001) after accounting for other variables in a logistic regression model. University students have a fair knowledge of nutritional requirements for diet and health; however, this does not necessarily translate to healthy food choices and dietary behaviours.

Keywords:

• dietary behaviour
• university students
• nutrition status
• dietary choice
• nutrition knowledge
• Kenya

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Unhealthy dietary habits and patterns are common among young people and are a major risk factor of lifestyle and chronic illness among this population. For most young people, the transition into university is associated with increased autonomy including dietary choices. These dietary habits are linked to limited availability of proper dietary advice during their period of study, challenges within their academic frontiers, the stress associated with navigating through food selection, purchasing and meal preparation. The dietary patterns they choose could either lead to favourable or unfavourable nutritional outcomes.

Assessing the university students’ dietary patterns and nutrition status is crucial in guiding the development of nutrition intervention and education. Whilst enhancing understanding of students’ dietary practices to promote healthy dietary behaviour and dietary intake an area that needs multilevel nutrition intervention by concerned stakeholders.

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the support of university students who took part in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability

Study data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Brenda Kemunto Mogeni

Brenda Kemunto Mogeni is currently a postgraduate student in clinical nutrition at the department of clinical nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Scotland(UK). She holds a BSc degree in foods, nutrition, and dietetics from Pwani University, Kenya. Her broader research interests are in public health nutrition and the interplay between diet, lifestyle and health outcomes in young people and oncology patients.

Luke Ondijo Ouma

Luke Ondijo Ouma is a Research Associate in Biostatistics at the Population health science institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.