The nutritional content of the food supplied by food vendors to students in a South African university

Abstract

University students often overlook the nutritional content of the food supplied by food vendors, either due to lack of knowledge or being unable to afford the variety of nutritious foods. With the relentless threat of the corona virus (Covid-19) lurking over South Africa and the ongoing search for a vaccine postulating that underlying health risks including diabetes and obesity may be an impediment in the fight of this pandemic, good nutrition is now essential. There is, therefore, a need to provide insight on food consumption and purchasing behaviours in South Africa with particular reference to the youth. Food vendors provide convenient access to affordable meals for university students. Whether the food provided is balanced or not is unknown. This study was, therefore, carried out to examine the nutritional value of the foods sold to university students by food vendors that were contracted to the four campuses of the Durban University of Technology (DUT). Utilising the qualitative approach, technical information was sourced using an observation technique and a structured menu recording sheet. Thus, data was collected by weighing the cooked and pre-cooked items individually to provide accurate nutrient assessment using an electronic food scale. Whilst this study only focused on the macronutrients, it was found that the nutritional value of foods served by these vendors was not balanced due to the fact that the top 15 meals contained more than the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended fat 15-30% contributing to energy. Furthermore, the contribution of carbohydrates (CHO) was less than the recommended percentage of 55-75%. Notably, the students who consumed two or three of the top 15 meals in a day exceeded the recommended intake of fat and energy for that day revealing a high probability that university students can be overweight. This study recommends a menu improvement and a strong collaboration between the food vendors and the university’s Department of Food and Nutrition to develop healthier menu options and assist students in making informed decisions regarding their health and consumption behaviours. The main limitation of this study is that it only focussed on the macronutrients as recommended by WHO of the most popular meals, this study still provides valuable insight into student nutrition and contributes to food consumption patterns by university students. Key words: Nutrition, obesity, overweight, food vendors, university students, eating behaviours, energy, fat