Abstract
Overweightness and obesity rates have increased dramatically over the past few decades and they represent a health epidemic in the United States (US). Unhealthy dietary habits are among the factors that can have adverse effects on weight status in young adulthood. The purpose of this explorative study was to use a qualitative research design to analyze the factors (barriers and enablers) that US college students perceived as influencing healthy eating behaviors. A group of Cornell University students (n = 35) participated in six semi-structured focus groups. A qualitative software, CAQDAS Nvivo11 Plus, was used to create codes that categorized the group discussions while using an Ecological Model. Common barriers to healthy eating were time constraints, unhealthy snacking, convenience high-calorie food, stress, high prices of healthy food, and easy access to junk food. Conversely, enablers to healthy behavior were improved food knowledge and education, meal planning, involvement in food preparation, and being physically active. Parental food behavior and friends’ social pressure were considered to have both positive and negative influences on individual eating habits. The study highlighted the importance of consulting college students when developing healthy eating interventions across the campus (e.g., labeling healthy food options and information campaigns) and considering individual-level factors and socio-ecological aspects in the analysis.
Highlights
Overweightness and obesity rates have dramatically increased over the past few decades and they represent a health epidemic in the United States, as well as in many other areas of the world [1,2,3].According to a scoping review of risk behavior interventions in young men, Ashton, Hutchesson, Rollo, Morgan & Collins [4] identified obesity as a serious health risk with an incidence rate of obesity reaching 29% of the population aged 20–39 years old [5,6]
As reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) [8], the adult disease burden is due to health risk behaviors that start during adolescence
Six focus group discussions were conducted until saturation of new information was reached
Summary
Overweightness and obesity rates have dramatically increased over the past few decades and they represent a health epidemic in the United States, as well as in many other areas of the world [1,2,3].According to a scoping review of risk behavior interventions in young men, Ashton, Hutchesson, Rollo, Morgan & Collins [4] identified obesity as a serious health risk with an incidence rate of obesity reaching 29% of the population aged 20–39 years old [5,6]. Overweightness and obesity rates have dramatically increased over the past few decades and they represent a health epidemic in the United States, as well as in many other areas of the world [1,2,3]. As reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) [8], the adult disease burden is due to health risk behaviors that start during adolescence (e.g., unhealthy eating practices). Most of the United States (US) population does not consume the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables, nuts, and seeds. It has been shown that after the transition from adolescence to young adulthood, when independency increases, young adults are continuously challenged to make healthful food choices [2,10]. Along with unhealthy eating behaviors, Nutrients 2018, 10, 1823; doi:10.3390/nu10121823 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients
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