Predictors of Food Skills in University Students

Purpose: To determine predictors of food skills in university students, specifically, the relative effects of a food and nutrition (FN) course; sex, age, and body mass index; food-related behaviours in the parental home; and food-related behaviours in university. Methods: Undergraduate students (n = 30 310) at Western University were invited to complete an online cross-sectional survey that assessed 7 components of food skills, from mechanical (e.g., peeling/chopping) to conceptual (e.g., weekly meal planning). The primary outcome measure was Total Food Skills Score (TFSS). All variables that were statistically associated with TFSS (P < 0.05) were analyzed hierarchically in 4 regression models. Results: The sample was comprised of 3354 students living independently for 2.6 ± 1.1 years. Students who had taken an FN course had higher food skills than those who had not (B = 30.72; P < 0.001), and this relationship remained significant through all subsequent models. The strongest predictor of food skills was meal preparation as a teen (B = 25.66; P < 0.001). Frequency of using a grocery list, packing a lunch, and time spent preparing meals on weekends were positively associated with food skills (P < 0.001), whereas frequency of buying pre-prepared meals was negatively associated with food skills (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Food skill development should occur well before young adults begin living independently.