Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Yiyecek Seçimi ve Beslenme Alışkanlıkları: Balıkesir Üniversitesi Örneği

Abstract

The aim of the study is to determine the food and beverage selection decisions and dietary habits of the students studying at Balıkesir University. The data were obtained from 405 students who studied at 10 different faculties and high-schools in the central campus of Balıkesir University between November 2019 and February 2020. Participants were selected with easy sampling method by using purposeful sample selection technique. Ranking scale and descriptive statistics were used in the analysis of the data. Research findings indicate that students monthly expenditures and the amount of expenditures they allocate for nutrition are low, students mostly come from families with low socio-economic income and education level which increases nutritional problems among students. They attach great importance to evening meals, followed by breakfast and lunch, the rate of skipping meal is very high (%82,8) and the most skipped meal is the breakfast. The main reason for skipping meals is unable to manage time, waking up late, being late for school, lack of appetite, difficulty in preparing, regime and lack of economic purchasing power. Students mostly have breakfast in dormitories or at home (%74,3), they mostly have lunch on the university's central campus (%66,8), the interest in home, dormitory and restaurant meals increase during dinner. Carbohydrate-intensive food consumption is common, the five most consumed food types at lunch and dinner are listed as soup, bread, rice, pasta and salad, and the least consumed food is fish. Students mostly take into consideration food saturation, taste, price suitability, hygiene and quality of raw materials in the food selection.