Research & Practice
Self-Reported Perceptions and Practices of University Students Who Adhere to Special Restrictive Diets: A Pilot Study
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming a variety of foods from each of the major food groups to support a healthy diet. However, usage of special restrictive diets that exclude specific foods or food groups appears to be common. Some studies suggest restrictive diets may have negative nutritional, monetary, and psycho-social ramifications. Given these potential challenges, it is important to learn more about special restrictive diet usage and the perceptions and practices of individuals following these diets to understand how to more effectively engage with these individuals.
This cross-sectional study assessed what types of special restrictive diets a sample of university students self-reported to follow. The study further investigated associations of different restrictive diet types with a) demographic characteristics; b) dietary perceptions; c) importance of food issues during food choice; and d) frequency of considering food issues during food purchase. This study also investigated associations between the perceived importance of food issues during food choice and the frequency of considering the same respective food issues during food purchase.
Materials Available
Project Type(s): Master's Thesis
Author(s): Toni Fiordalis
Program(s): Master of Science, RDN Training
Year: 2017
Adviser(s):