Eating Behavior of University Students in Nonthaburi Province and Related Factors

Abstract

The objectives of the research were to study : (1) personal factors;  (2) eating be; haviors and (3) relationship between personal factors and eating behaviors of Rajchapruk University students.  The descriptive and analytical cross-sectional design was used to investigate target population of  Rajchapruk University students , 18 – 24 years old,   of 1/2018 semester. The formula of Kelsey et al. was used to calculate the sample size. A total of  674 samples were recruited by stratified random sampling. The instrument was a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 2 parts.  Part 1 was personal factors questions of socio-demographic factor, body size factor, and health behavior theoretical factors including  body image factor, health behavior intention, and self-efficacy factor with reliability values of 0.791, 0.709, and 0.929,  respectively.  Part 2 was students’ eating behavior questions consisting of 3 patterns; Pattern 1 was doing healthy eating behaviors  in a day and a week. Pattern 2 was not doing unhealthy eating behaviors.  Pattern 3 was doing healthy food selection / healthy food cooking behaviors. The reliability values of 3 patterns were 0.794, 0.707 and 0.962,  respectively.  Data analysis was done as frequency and percentage, mean,  standard deviation, and Chi-square test.

                The results revealed that :  (1) personal factors: most of the students were female and doing full time job in at higher proportion than male ones and had body weight at lower than standard; about half of male students had risk of obesity at the 2^nd level; most of the female students perceived their body image, health behavior intention and self-efficacy at the moderate level in higher proportion than male ones; part time and full time job and body mass index of male and female students were significantly different;  (2) eating behaviors: most of male and female students reported doing eating behaviors of Pattern 1, 2 and 3 at sometimes level of every food categories and were not significantly different.; (3) relationship between personal factors and eating behaviors: body image factor and health behavior intention factor were significantly associated with eating behaviors.

             Conclusions and recommendations: Most of male and females had eating behaviors at sometimes level. Developmental theory and social cognitive theory can explain factors related to eating behaviors.  RJU administrators were suggested to  develop policy and intervention to promote healthy eating behavior patterns of university students with the applications of developmental theory and social cognitive theory.