StudentKost: a cross-sectional study assessing college students' diets: reason for concern?

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• College students represent a key demographic of young adults in their reproductive years.
• Diet and preconception health are critical areas for this population.
• Understanding student dietary habits is essential for public health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diet and nutrient intake of Norwegian college students against national recommendations.
• To assess the risk of inadequate micronutrient intake using the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR).
• To explore the implications for preconception health and inform future interventions.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study, StudentKost, involving 622 students (aged 18-40) at the University of Agder.
• Utilized a food frequency questionnaire to assess dietary intake and supplement use over the past four weeks.
• Applied the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) to analyze nutrient adequacy.

Main Results:

• Student diets were suboptimal, with lower-than-recommended intake of fruits, vegetables, oily fish, and whole grains.
• Mean intake of folate, iron, and iodine was below recommended levels.
• A significant portion of students faced a high probability of inadequate intake for several micronutrients, particularly males compared to females.

Conclusions:

• Norwegian college students' diets do not align with national guidelines, impacting overall health and potentially preconception wellness.
• There is a considerable risk of micronutrient deficiencies within this student population.
• Targeted public health efforts and interventions are recommended to improve student diets and preconception health, though generalizability is limited by low participation.