Students’ perspectives on promoting healthful food choices from campus vending machines: a qualitative interview study

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Mariam Al Shamsi¹  Huda Al Ashqar¹  Amjad H. Jarrar¹  Habiba I. Ali¹  Mostafa Abo-El-Enen² 

[1] Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Food and Agriculture, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates;Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Food and Agriculture, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates;Faculty of Tourism & Hotels, Hotels Department, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt;

关键词: University students;    Vending machines;    Nutrition education;    Qualitative interviews;    United Arab Emirates;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-015-1859-2

 received in 2014-12-02, accepted in 2015-05-21,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundIncreasing the healthfulness of campus food environments is an important step in promoting healthful food choices among college students. This study explored university students’ suggestions on promoting healthful food choices from campus vending machines. It also examined factors influencing students’ food choices from vending machines.MethodsPeer-led semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 43 undergraduate students (33 females and 10 males) recruited from students enrolled in an introductory nutrition course in a large national university in the United Arab Emirates. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and coded to generate themes using N-Vivo software.ResultsAccessibility, peer influence, and busy schedules were the main factors influencing students’ food choices from campus vending machines. Participants expressed the need to improve the nutritional quality of the food items sold in the campus vending machines. Recommendations for students’ nutrition educational activities included placing nutrition tips on or beside the vending machines and using active learning methods, such as competitions on nutrition knowledge.ConclusionsThe results of this study have useful applications in improving the campus food environment and nutrition education opportunities at the university to assist students in making healthful food choices.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Ali et al.; licensee BioMed Central. 2015