Optimization design and evaluation of balanced dietary recipes for college students

Abstract

University is a key stage for personal growth, development and establishment of lifelong eating habits. This study focuses on the optimization and evaluation of balanced daily dietary recipes for male and female college students. In this paper, a comprehensive assessment model was built based on five dimensions, including the number of food groups, total energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and non-energy nutrients, and the results showed that both male and female students have a more varied dietary structure, but there are deficiencies in the intake of macronutrients and non-energy- producing nutrients, and there is a significant deficit of female students at the energy level. The daily recipe optimization model was constructed to provide a dual focus on nutritional quality and cost-effectiveness. As a result, when optimizing to balance amino acid scores with economy, the recipes achieved improved performance in both aspects, effectively managing dietary costs while ensuring nutritional balance. This study provides a scientific basis and practical recommendations for improving the dietary habits and nutritional health of college students, which can help improve their overall health and academic performance.