RESEARCH JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
Integrity Research Journals
ISSN: 2536-7080
Model: Open Access/Peer Reviewed
DOI: 10.31248/RJFSN
Start Year: 2016
Email: rjfsn@integrityresjournals.org
Food consumption patterns among undergraduate students in the University of Uyo, Nigeria
https://doi.org/10.31248/RJFSN2025.210 | Article Number: 0F2D93851 | Vol.10 (3) - October 2025
Received Date: 23 August 2025 | Accepted Date: 19 October 2025 | Published Date: 30 October 2025
Authors: Nkereuwem Ndaeyo Ekerette* and Akaninyene Uwemedimo Udo
Keywords: fish, vegetables., fruits, undergraduate students., Food preferences, food groups, seafoods
University students often exhibit poor dietary habits that compromise their physical health, cognitive function and overall well-being. This descriptive cross-sectional study adopted a multi-stage sampling technique to select 436 students, aged 22.0±2.8 years, to participate in a study assessing food consumption patterns among undergraduate students of the University of Uyo, Nigeria. A 53-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was employed to assess dietary intake based on five frequency categories: “never,” “1–3 times monthly,” “≤3 times per week,” “4–6 times per week,” and “daily.” For analytical purposes, “never” and “1–3 times monthly” were grouped as infrequent consumption, while the remaining three categories were grouped as frequent consumption. The average number of times each frequency option occurred under each food group was calculated. The results showed that fish and seafood (115.6±31.7), bread, biscuits and pastries (106.4±24.2), sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages (87.7±19.9), cereals (81.7±4.2), as well as meats and poultry (78.5±21.8) were identified as frequently consumed food groups. In contrast, fruits (139.6±50.1), other vegetables (136.0±46.8), sweets and spreads (119.8±32.2), roots and tubers (116.8±41.6), legumes, nuts and seeds (108.6±42.8), green leafy vegetables (107.7±27.0) and milk/dairy (104.8±0.3) appeared most common as infrequently consumed food groups. Rice, gari/fufu, fish and crayfish, pastries and biscuits, and bread were the most frequently consumed individual food items on a daily basis. Males reported frequent consumption of foods from a wider range of food groups compared to females (p < 0.05). In conclusion, students’ food preferences were based primarily on protein and carbohydrate foods-especially cereals and refined carbohydrates, but lacked nutrient-dense foods. It was recommended that a nutrition education programme, combined with social media engagements, be used to promote behavioural change towards healthier food choices among students.
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