Attitude Towards Fast Food Consumption Among Students in a Private Nigerian University by Gender, Academic Level, and Marital Status
Author(s): Omolola Atanda and Senol Dane*
Abstract
Introduction: There are strong positive relations between fast food consumption and worse health conditions such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. In the present study, attitudes of students in a private Nigerian university by gender, academic level, marital status towards fast food consumption were investigated.
Method: A total of 322 Nigerian university students were involved in the study. Participants were 145 men and 177 women who were 16-18 years of age. An online survey (questionnaire) was created and shared only with participants to get their demographic features and attitudes towards fast food consumption.
Results: The percentage of participants having fast food consumption daily is 67%. Men prefer to eat fast food every day, but women prefer it a few times a week or about once a week. The most reasons for fast food consumption were ‘convenience’ (26%), ‘variety of options’ (32%), and ‘limited time/no access to cooking’ (19%). Men reported ‘convenience’ and ‘taste’ as a reason for their fast food consumption preference, but women reported ‘variety of options’, ‘convenience’, and ‘limited time/no access to cooking’. Singles prefer to eat fast food every day, but the married participants prefer it a few times a week or about once a week.
Conclusion: There is an increase in the incidence of fast food consumption in Nigerian university students. It can be predicted that this trend will cause a high prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus in adulthood period and gestational diabetes mellitus in their children. Therefore, students, especially men and single ones, should be educated on the negative effects of fastfood consumption.