Project Director
Kilburn, Farron
Department Examiner
Pell, Christopher; Hathaway, Elizabeth
Publisher
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Place of Publication
Chattanooga (Tenn.)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Health-related decisions made during the college years carry consequences that persist into adulthood more so than other life stages. One of the most controllable and impactful indicators of health is diet. This study explores factors potentially influencing college student diet quality including meal preparation habits, dietary choices, and dining hall usage. Methodology: This non-experimental, cross-sectional correlational study recruits currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students (n = 159) at a midsize urban university in the southeastern United States. Data was collected from June through November 2025 and analyzed using a statistical package, SPSS v30 (Chicago). The survey instrument was composed of three validated tools: the 30-day-recall Prime Diet Quality Screener (PDQS-30D), the US Household Food Security Survey Module, and items from the Post-Intervention Questionnaire for Cooking Skills Programmes, along with original items assessing university-specific dining practices. Pearson correlation analyses examined relationships among diet profiles, cooking confidence, dining habits, and demographic variables. Results: Cooking confidence and frequency were significantly positively associated with the healthy Mediterranean diet profile and significantly negatively associated with the unhealthy Fried/Processed diet profile. Freshmen and sophomores were significantly more likely to frequent the campus dining hall and less likely to cook their own meals, while seniors showed the opposite pattern. Prepackaged convenience meal consumption was also significantly positively associated with the unhealthy diet profile. Discussion: Underclassmen who frequented campus dining services consumed a more unhealthy, fried and processed diet than upperclassmen who did not regularly utilize these services. Those who cooked their own meals and were confident in doing so tended to eat healthier, Mediterranean-style diets. These results raise questions about what needs to be done in campus dining services to encourage healthier student diets and habits that carry into adulthood. Keywords: dietary profile, college students, eating habits, dining hall, cooking
IRB Number
#25-105
Degree
B. S.; An honors thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Science.
Date
5-2026
Subject
College students--Nutrition; Eating habits; Food habits--United States
Discipline
International and Community Nutrition
Document Type
Theses
Extent
36 unnumbered leaves
DCMI Type
Text
Language
English
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Date Available
5-9-2027
Recommended Citation
Amick, Noah, "Dietary profiles and eating habits among college students: a cross-sectional study at a midsize urban university" (2026). Honors Theses.
https://scholar.utc.edu/honors-theses/680
Department
Dept. of Health and Human Performance