University students who perceive themselves as overweight and obese tend to have higher consumption of processed foods: an observational study

<ns5:p>Background Confinement by COVID-19 forced university students to adapt to virtual education, altering their daily routines. This led to increased consumption of processed foods and modified their perception of their body. The aim was to determine the relationship between processed foods and being overweight among Peruvian university students during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods An observational study was conducted in 82 university students of both genders, aged 17 to 28, who had experienced both in-person and remote classes. A questionnaire based on the Questionnaire of Highly Processed Food Consumption (sQ-HPF) was developed to determine processed food consumption, and the Thompson and Gray C Scale was used to measure body image perception. Results The study included a sample of 84 university students. The majority of students were female (63.4%) with an average age of 21 ± 2.8 years. Regarding body image, 68.3% perceived themselves as being overweight and 14.6% as obese. The five most frequently consumed foods were refined cereals (76.4%), additives (75%), sweets (69.1%), fried foods (60.3%), and snacks (58.8%). Additionally, females more frequently perceived themselves as being overweight and had higher consumption of processed foods. Finally, a relationship was found between processed food consumption (processed meats, sweets, fats, fast food) and overweight/obesity. Conclusion The majority of university students frequently consumed processed foods, particularly those who perceived themselves as being overweight or obese, with sweets and refined cereals consumption being particularly noteworthy. It is necessary to emphasize the promotion of healthy eating, as well as frequent physical activity, to promote long-term healthy habits.</ns5:p>