Students Cluster into 4 Groups According to the Factors Influencing their Dietary Intake

Students typically have poor dietary habits ((1)Hertzler A.A. Frary R.B. Food behavior of college students.Adolescence. 1989; 24: 349-356Google Scholar, (2)Hoffman C.J. Dietary intake of calcium, iron, folacin, alcohol, and fat for college students in central Michigan.J Am Diet Assoc. 1989; 89: 836-838Google Scholar, (3)Horwarth C.C. Dietary intakes and nutritional status among university undergraduates.Nutr Res. 1991; 11: 395-404Google Scholar, (4)Huang Y. Song W.O. Schemmel R.A. Hoerr S.M. What do college students eat? Food selection and meal pattern.Nutr Res. 1994; 14: 1143-1153Google Scholar, (5)Marrale JC, Shipman JH, Rhodes ML. What some college students eat. Nutr Today. Jan-Feb 1986:16–21.Google Scholar, (6)Skinner J.D. Changes in students’ dietary behavior during a college nutrition course.J Nutr Educ. 1991; 23: 72-75Google Scholar, (7)Schuette L.K. Song W.O. Hoerr S.L. Quantitative use of the Food Guide Pyramid to evaluate dietary intake of college students.J Am Diet Assoc. 1996; 96: 453-457Google Scholar, (8)Horacek T.M. The effect of nutrition education and the differences in dietary intake and factors influencing intake according to personality preferences for a sample of college students. University of Nebraska, Lincoln1996Google Scholar). Although many researchers have determined the factors that influence intakes, not all students choose foods for the same reasons, and the set of factors that influence 1 group may be different from that which influences another ((8)Horacek T.M. The effect of nutrition education and the differences in dietary intake and factors influencing intake according to personality preferences for a sample of college students. University of Nebraska, Lincoln1996Google Scholar, (9)Betts N.M. Amos R.J. Georgiou C. Hoerr S.L. Ivanturi R. Keim K.S. Tinsley A. Voichick J. What young adults say about factors affecting their food intake.Ecol Food Nutr. 1995; 34: 59-64Google Scholar, (10)Betts N.M. Amos R.J. Keim K. Peters P. Stewart B. Ways young adults view food.J Nutr Educ. 1997; 29: 73-79Google Scholar, (11)Koszewski W.M. Kuo M. Factors that influence the food consumption behavior and nutritional adequacy of college women.J Am Diet Assoc. 1996; 96: 1286-1288Google Scholar). The objectives of our study were to determine how a sample of college students clustered according to the factors influencing their dietary intake, and to identify the differences in dietary intake that existed between the clustered groups.MethodsTo ensure diversity in the study sample, approximately 400 students from 3 large, introductory nutrition classes and approximately 600 students from 26 various small classes were invited to participate. A 20-minute recruitment presentation was made to each class. Students volunteered to complete packets and return them via campus mail. The research was approved by the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.The survey of factors influencing diet was based on the findings of Betts and colleagues ((9)Betts N.M. Amos R.J. Georgiou C. Hoerr S.L. Ivanturi R. Keim K.S. Tinsley A. Voichick J. What young adults say about factors affecting their food intake.Ecol Food Nutr. 1995; 34: 59-64Google Scholar). Two versions of the survey were developed and pretested with 50 students. The selected version was revised and included questions on influencing factors, basic demographics, and meal frequencies. Each influencing factor (see Table 1 for the questions) was rated on a 4-point scale, ranging from very likely (high score) to very unlikely (low score) to influence what the student ate.Table 1Dietary influences: factor analysis, sample factor averages, and cluster group factor averagesFactoraEach factor is listed with its Cronbach α, a measure of factor reliability.Contributing questionsFactor loadingbFactor loading is the contributing questions’ correlation with the factor.Mean±SDcMean±standard deviation is given for each factor for the whole sample. Factor scores range from 1 to 4, with a higher score indicating a stronger influence on what students chose to eat.Cluster groups1, Cues (n=155; 47.7%)2. Budget (n=30; 9.2%)3, Health (n=86; 26.5%)4, No cues (n=54; 16.6%)Weight/healthFat (amount of fat in food)0.862.72±0.78t(P<.05) significant difference between values down the column whose letters differ.2.94x(P<.05) significant difference between values in a row whose letters differ.1.58z(P<.05) significant difference between values in a row whose letters differ.3.13x(P<.05) significant difference between values in a row whose letters differ.2.06y(P<.05) significant difference between values in a row whose letters differ.(α=.87)Calories (number of calories in food)0.83Weight (gain, lose, or maintain)0.83Health (concern for present and future status)0.72Appearance (how you (amount of in of a significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters for effect on to or significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters on for in the or food significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters or in of significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters (amount of to for foods in significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters for a significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters (amount significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters of a Each factor is listed with its Cronbach α, a measure of factor Factor loading is the contributing questions’ correlation with the deviation is given for each factor for the whole sample. Factor scores range from 1 to 4, with a higher score indicating a stronger influence on what students chose to significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters in a Dietary intake were a version of the food S.M. Food that be by The was with nutrition students and and were made to its The food were for of from calcium, iron, and the was to a factor with a on the dietary influence with scores were was by the Cronbach for each was to the sample 3 to by the of their The the of the of and were and 600 packets were to student of the were Students in the basic nutrition classes made of the sample. significant differences were between the nutrition students’ and students’ dietary intakes, were for in and the deviation of the was in the and with their of the were in their of of and with a of were and factors from the analysis, for of the students were by their or preferences by the factors and and by the factors and A factor for A. T.M. J. of a measure of the the selection of food the Food 1995; many were on the of cluster was by a of factors, cues and cues and and was by the factors cues and and by the factors and was by the factors and and by the factors or 4, No was by all factors with a of for and intake differences between cluster by values given cues Budget Health 4, No cues cues Budget Health 4, No cues (n=30; between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for Dietary of is for for the is from between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters from fat A between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for A between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for for for is The is based on the of between values in a row whose letters values given Dietary of is for for the is and Food and and Food and The for for is and Food and The is based on the and Dietary between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters in a were among the cluster clustered group and group the dietary intake the from each in the of from fat in their with the group the differences in the dietary intake according to their cluster a higher intake of with a higher intake of the iron, calcium, and 4, No a and intake, with a higher of from The group intakes of and of fat with a higher intake of about their group a intake, a of from and a dietary intakes on the factors influencing their of were by and and dietary intakes with their the of by and fat intakes with intakes, them at for nutrition and not a for is likely that in nutrition education not them and be may be in a of their dietary indicating a to be a for in the of C.C. of how Scholar, K. C.C. J. of in fat and and of 1994; Scholar, C. of for dietary fat to of or Am Diet Assoc. 1994; Scholar, C. The and of and their to 1995; of a nutrition students were by what is and their intakes, and fat the for students on some of and not on a to dietary with that or for a K. and nutrition education or Nutr Educ. 1995; is and and may for of students not in or A of the basic food foods and that and to that them or students to foods by a on and with of and between of students and and foods to a meal or with of a of and all of the nutrition or is the likely is that the students’ be students choose to do not nutrition be to nutrition be and the nutrition to the of very to students and Students typically have poor dietary habits ((1)Hertzler A.A. Frary R.B. Food behavior of college students.Adolescence. 1989; 24: 349-356Google Scholar, (2)Hoffman C.J. Dietary intake of calcium, iron, folacin, alcohol, and fat for college students in central Michigan.J Am Diet Assoc. 1989; 89: 836-838Google Scholar, (3)Horwarth C.C. Dietary intakes and nutritional status among university undergraduates.Nutr Res. 1991; 11: 395-404Google Scholar, (4)Huang Y. Song W.O. Schemmel R.A. Hoerr S.M. What do college students eat? Food selection and meal pattern.Nutr Res. 1994; 14: 1143-1153Google Scholar, (5)Marrale JC, Shipman JH, Rhodes ML. What some college students eat. Nutr Today. Jan-Feb 1986:16–21.Google Scholar, (6)Skinner J.D. Changes in students’ dietary behavior during a college nutrition course.J Nutr Educ. 1991; 23: 72-75Google Scholar, (7)Schuette L.K. Song W.O. Hoerr S.L. Quantitative use of the Food Guide Pyramid to evaluate dietary intake of college students.J Am Diet Assoc. 1996; 96: 453-457Google Scholar, (8)Horacek T.M. The effect of nutrition education and the differences in dietary intake and factors influencing intake according to personality preferences for a sample of college students. University of Nebraska, Lincoln1996Google Scholar). Although many researchers have determined the factors that influence intakes, not all students choose foods for the same reasons, and the set of factors that influence 1 group may be different from that which influences another ((8)Horacek T.M. The effect of nutrition education and the differences in dietary intake and factors influencing intake according to personality preferences for a sample of college students. University of Nebraska, Lincoln1996Google Scholar, (9)Betts N.M. Amos R.J. Georgiou C. Hoerr S.L. Ivanturi R. Keim K.S. Tinsley A. Voichick J. What young adults say about factors affecting their food intake.Ecol Food Nutr. 1995; 34: 59-64Google Scholar, (10)Betts N.M. Amos R.J. Keim K. Peters P. Stewart B. Ways young adults view food.J Nutr Educ. 1997; 29: 73-79Google Scholar, (11)Koszewski W.M. Kuo M. Factors that influence the food consumption behavior and nutritional adequacy of college women.J Am Diet Assoc. 1996; 96: 1286-1288Google Scholar). The objectives of our study were to determine how a sample of college students clustered according to the factors influencing their dietary intake, and to identify the differences in dietary intake that existed between the clustered ensure diversity in the study sample, approximately 400 students from 3 large, introductory nutrition classes and approximately 600 students from 26 various small classes were invited to participate. A 20-minute recruitment presentation was made to each class. Students volunteered to complete packets and return them via campus mail. The research was approved by the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.The survey of factors influencing diet was based on the findings of Betts and colleagues ((9)Betts N.M. Amos R.J. Georgiou C. Hoerr S.L. Ivanturi R. Keim K.S. Tinsley A. Voichick J. What young adults say about factors affecting their food intake.Ecol Food Nutr. 1995; 34: 59-64Google Scholar). Two versions of the survey were developed and pretested with 50 students. The selected version was revised and included questions on influencing factors, basic demographics, and meal frequencies. Each influencing factor (see Table 1 for the questions) was rated on a 4-point scale, ranging from very likely (high score) to very unlikely (low score) to influence what the student ate.Table 1Dietary influences: factor analysis, sample factor averages, and cluster group factor averagesFactoraEach factor is listed with its Cronbach α, a measure of factor reliability.Contributing questionsFactor loadingbFactor loading is the contributing questions’ correlation with the factor.Mean±SDcMean±standard deviation is given for each factor for the whole sample. Factor scores range from 1 to 4, with a higher score indicating a stronger influence on what students chose to eat.Cluster groups1, Cues (n=155; 47.7%)2. Budget (n=30; 9.2%)3, Health (n=86; 26.5%)4, No cues (n=54; 16.6%)Weight/healthFat (amount of fat in food)0.862.72±0.78t(P<.05) significant difference between values down the column whose letters differ.2.94x(P<.05) significant difference between values in a row whose letters differ.1.58z(P<.05) significant difference between values in a row whose letters differ.3.13x(P<.05) significant difference between values in a row whose letters differ.2.06y(P<.05) significant difference between values in a row whose letters differ.(α=.87)Calories (number of calories in food)0.83Weight (gain, lose, or maintain)0.83Health (concern for present and future status)0.72Appearance (how you (amount of in of a significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters for effect on to or significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters on for in the or food significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters or in of significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters (amount of to for foods in significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters for a significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters (amount significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters of a Each factor is listed with its Cronbach α, a measure of factor Factor loading is the contributing questions’ correlation with the deviation is given for each factor for the whole sample. Factor scores range from 1 to 4, with a higher score indicating a stronger influence on what students chose to significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values down the column whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters significant difference between values in a row whose letters in a Dietary intake were a version of the food S.M. Food that be by The was with nutrition students and and were made to its The food were for of from calcium, iron, and the was to a factor with a on the dietary influence with scores were was by the Cronbach for each was to the sample 3 to by the of their The the of the of and were ensure diversity in the study sample, approximately 400 students from 3 large, introductory nutrition classes and approximately 600 students from 26 various small classes were invited to participate. A 20-minute recruitment presentation was made to each class. Students volunteered to complete packets and return them via campus mail. The research was approved by the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects at the University of Nebraska, The survey of factors influencing diet was based on the findings of Betts and colleagues ((9)Betts N.M. Amos R.J. Georgiou C. Hoerr S.L. Ivanturi R. Keim K.S. Tinsley A. Voichick J. What young adults say about factors affecting their food intake.Ecol Food Nutr. 1995; 34: 59-64Google Scholar). Two versions of the survey were developed and pretested with 50 students. The selected version was revised and included questions on influencing factors, basic demographics, and meal frequencies. Each influencing factor (see Table 1 for the questions) was rated on a 4-point scale, ranging from very likely (high score) to very unlikely (low score) to influence what the student Dietary intake were a version of the food S.M. Food that be by The was with nutrition students and and were made to its The food were for of from calcium, iron, and the The was to a factor with a on the dietary influence with scores were was by the Cronbach for each was to the sample 3 to by the of their The the of the of and were and 600 packets were to student of the were Students in the basic nutrition classes made of the sample. significant differences were between the nutrition students’ and students’ dietary intakes, were for in and the deviation of the was in the and with their of the were in their of of and with a of were and factors from the analysis, for of the students were by their or preferences by the factors and and by the factors and A factor for A. T.M. J. of a measure of the the selection of food the Food 1995; many were on the of cluster was by a of factors, cues and cues and and was by the factors cues and and by the factors and was by the factors and and by the factors or 4, No was by all factors with a of for and intake differences between cluster by values given cues Budget Health 4, No cues cues Budget Health 4, No cues (n=30; between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for Dietary of is for for the is from between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters from fat A between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for A between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters for for for is The is based on the of between values in a row whose letters values given Dietary of is for for the is and Food and and Food and The for for is and Food and The is based on the and Dietary between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters between values in a row whose letters in a were among the cluster clustered group and group the dietary intake the from each in the of from fat in their with the group the differences in the dietary intake according to their cluster a higher intake of with a higher intake of the iron, calcium, and 4, No a and intake, with a higher of from The group intakes of and of fat with a higher intake of about their group a intake, a of from and a 600 packets were to student of the were Students in the basic nutrition classes made of the sample. significant differences were between the nutrition students’ and students’ dietary intakes, were for in and the deviation of the was in the and with their of the were in their of of and with a of were and factors from the analysis, for of the students were by their or preferences by the factors and and by the factors and A factor for A. T.M. J. of a measure of the the selection of food the Food 1995; many Students were on the of cluster was by a of factors, cues and cues and and was by the factors cues and and by the factors and was by the factors and and by the factors or 4, No was by all factors with a of for and were among the cluster clustered group and group the dietary intake the from each in the of from fat in their with the group the differences in the dietary intake according to their cluster a higher intake of with a higher intake of the iron, calcium, and 4, No a and intake, with a higher of from The group intakes of and of fat with a higher intake of about their group a intake, a of from and a dietary intakes on the factors influencing their of were by and and dietary intakes with their the of by and fat intakes with intakes, them at for nutrition and not a for is likely that in nutrition education not them and be may be in a of their dietary indicating a to be a for in the of C.C. of how Scholar, K. C.C. J. of in fat and and of 1994; Scholar, C. of for dietary fat to of or Am Diet Assoc. 1994; Scholar, C. The and of and their to 1995; of a nutrition students were by what is and their intakes, and fat the for students on some of and not on a to dietary with that or for a K. and nutrition education or Nutr Educ. 1995; is and and may for of students not in or A of the basic food foods and that and to that them or students to foods by a on and with of and between of students and and foods to a meal or with of a of and all of the nutrition or is the likely is that the students’ be students choose to do not nutrition be to nutrition be and the nutrition to the of very to students and dietary intakes on the factors influencing their of were by and and dietary intakes with their the of by and fat intakes with intakes, them at for nutrition and not a for is likely that in nutrition education not them and be may be in a of their dietary indicating a to be a for in the of C.C. of how Scholar, K. C.C. J. of in fat and and of 1994; Scholar, C. of for dietary fat to of or Am Diet Assoc. 1994; Scholar, C. The and of and their to 1995; Scholar). The of a nutrition students were by what is and their intakes, and fat the for students on some of and not on a to dietary with that or for a K. and nutrition education or Nutr Educ. 1995; is and and may for of students not in or A of the basic food foods and that and to that them or students to foods by a on and with of and between of students and and foods to a meal or with of a of and all of the nutrition or is the likely is that the students’ be students choose to do not nutrition be to nutrition be and the nutrition to the of very to students and