Barriers and enablers to a balanced diet among UK medical students on clinical placement: A qualitative study

BackgroundHow universities support medical students to attain balanced diets represents an important area to help students improve their physical and mental health, alongside their academic performance. Although dietary barriers have been studied in the general population, they have been minimally studied in medical students; a group expected to give dietary advice in their future career.MethodsNine semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourth- and fifth-year medical students at a London university. Participants were asked about their perceived dietary barriers, enablers and strategies to tackle barriers and promote enablers. Transcripts were thematically analysed.ResultsThree superordinate themes were derived from the data: proximity to food options and support network, expenditure of limited resources and prioritising health and knowledge. Key enablers were social eating and feeling well-nourished, while key barriers were inaccessibility, increased time and costs. Some influences were both enablers and barriers. For example, peer influence: positive in instances of good cooking skills, but negative in instances of pressuring to eat out regularly. Additionally, participants suggested both personal and university-based strategies. Some personal strategies included splitting food costs and preparation amongst the household, whereas some university strategies comprised improving the variety and convenience of healthy food on campus.ConclusionMoving forward, the student-suggested strategies have the potential to improve the operational aspect of university-based dietary support; for example, including formal dietary advice and guidance in induction lectures. Through having a greater focus on student diet and nutrition, universities may be able to better nurture academic success, physical and mental health.