2021 MSUFCU Outreach Award for the Lyman Briggs Research Showcase
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Investigating College-Aged Students as Agents of Change to Support Healthy Eating Among Their Families and Friends Lasya Marla, 2nd-year |
Background: 10.5% of Americans adults have Type 2 Diabetes which costs $237B in medical costs annually (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) . Additionally, 25% of American adult deaths are a result of cardiovascular disease which costs $219B in medical costs annually (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
These diseases develop across the lifespan and are influenced by lifestyle, including diet. Americans often fail to consume nutrient dense diets, consisting of whole plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, raw nuts, and legumes (Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee 2020) . Fruit and vegetable intakes decline through adolescents and into adulthood (Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee 2020). College-aged students also experience weight gain, increased disordered eating, and poor diet quality during college (Beaudry et. al, 2019). Thus, it is important to design effective dietary interventions for both college-aged and older adults.
Purpose: This formative research was conducted to inform the design of a future intervention working with college-aged students enrolled in a human nutrition course as agents of change to support healthy eating among their family members and friends.
Research Aims: 1) To gain a deeper understand of nutrition knowledge gained by students who completed a Michigan State University (MSU) online Introduction to Human Nutrition course through analyzing pre and post course surveys; and 2) to understand whether, how, and types of information students shared with their friends and family.
