A Study on Consumption of Convenience Foods of University Students by Residing Types in Changwon and Masan Area

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dietary habits and the consumption patterns of convenience foods by university students according to where they reside. The subjects were 572 university students in Changwon and Masan who were divided into three groups by their residential type; students living with their parents (n=297), self-boarding students (n=139), and students living in a dormitory (n=136). This survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. Among all students, 22.4% skipped breakfast, and the major reason was lack of time (38.1%). Convenience food intake at lunch was 39.1%, and that of snacks was 35.4%. In particular, convenience food intake at lunch was 45.9% for students living with their parents, 30.9% for those self-boarding, and 32.6% for those living in a dormitory (P<0.01). Approximately 66% of the students said that the reason they bought convenience food was that it was easy to cook. Those who were residents of a house (P<0.001) believed that nutritional imbalance was a problem with convenience food. The students who lived in the dormitory ate frozen fried pilaff (P<0.01), canned vegetables (P<0.05), packed kimchi (P<0.001), and Ramyon cups (P<0.001) more, while the self-boarding students ate Ramyon (P<0.05) more. The results suggest that it is necessary to educate people how to buy reasonably by understanding the interrelationship between convenience food and health care and by checking the nutrition index label on convenience foods.