A Survey of Food and Nutrient Intakes in Female College Students

Cho, Dong Sook; Lee, Jeung Yun

Abstract

PURPOSE: The study was done to investigate Food and Nutrient Intakes of female college students and define differences between teen-age groups and women in their twenties. METHOD: The subjects of this study were 821 female college students. They were eighteen to twenty nine years old. Nutrient intakes were measured by the Moon, S. J. Scale (1980). Data was collected from June 13 to June, 27. Data was analyzed with the SPSS program by Chi-test, t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficients. RESULT: Female college students' mean intake of calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrates were 1560.7+/-367.71kcal, 62.0+/-19.03g, 33.1+/-9.85g, and 253.7+/-57.52g respectively. Their mean intake of calcium, phosphorus and iron were 592.9+/-221.82mg, 918.2+/-284.24mg and 13.7+/-4.50mg respectively. Intake of calories, calcium, iron and vitamine B1 were below their Percent of Recommended Intake. Nutrient intakes showed a significant difference between age groups. Teen-age female college students had more nutrient intakes than the women in their twenties. In addition, there was a difference in food consumption behaviors between the teen-age group and the twenty-something group.
CONCLUSION
The nutrient intake of female college students changed by age. Many teen-age female college students ate breakfast well, thus their intake of calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals such as calcium, phosporus and vitamins was significantly higher than the over twenty years old students. Teen-age female college students like fruits and sugars but over twenty years college students preferred coffee. This study can be useful in directing a dietary consumption status of women to improve nutritional health.