In this 2018 study, university students in the UK were asked to complete surveys on diet, sociodemographics, and lifestyle. The objective of the study was to characterize the dietary patterns of these students, and to find out more details about their lifestyle behaviors and sociodemographics. Students are often associated with having poor diets, which can influence body weight and overall health. The 1449 participants were recruited from five different UK universities (King's College London, Universities of St Andrews, Southampton and Sheffield, and Ulster University). Among this sample population, four major dietary patterns were identified including “vegetarian”, “'snacking”, “'health-conscious”, and “convenience, red meat & alcohol”. The “health-conscious” pattern had the most favorable micronutrient profile and the greatest nutrient density. The participants with greater cooking skills were more inclined to follow the “vegetarian” and “health-conscious” patterns. More female students chose the “vegetarian” dietary pattern also, while male students tended to consume diets characterized by convenience, red meat & alcohol. This “convenience, red meat and alcohol” dietary habit showed correlations with higher weekly spending on food. The less healthful patterns were associated with smoking, low physical activity, and intake of take-away food. The results indicated that food consumption greatly varied amongst university students in the UK. While a considerable number of students ate health-promoting diets, there were some students who ate poorly, spent a fair amount of money on food, and practiced poor lifestyle behaviors. Students should be encouraged by university policies to engage in cooking activities and food preparation.
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