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The rate for obesity has increased steadily in the United States , and approximately two -thirds of U .S . adults over the age of 20 now face the challenge of being overweight or obese . Therefore , the need for dietary changes and eating healthy foods has become crucial . This study was designed to determine the healthy eating behavior of college students and the characteristics of healthy foods as report by college students at a university in the southwestern United States . Out of two hundred questionnaires distributed , one -hundred -sixty -one questionnaires were collected and analyzed in this study ; the response rate was 80 .5 % . Every informant was asked which factors were important when they chose a healthy food . The results of this study validated the premise that healthy foods could be identified by classifying several features common to them , and that healthy food could then be defined using these characteristics : “low calorie food” (α= .869 ) , “low greasy food & healthy drink” (α= .764 ) , and “low cholesterol food “ (α= .734 ) . In addition , the results showed the perception of healthy foods was significantly different based upon the demographic characteristics . But , this study found few differing factors for “healthy food choice” decisions as compared to other types of foods among this population of college students . Even though the correlation was not considered to be a strong one , there was a significantly positive correlation between knowledge of healthy foods and health concern (γ = 0 .172 , p = 0 .029 ) . This study helped to classify the characteristics of healthy food and , therefore , this information could be used to develop healthy menus in university foodservice settings and related marketplaces . |
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