Abstract

This study was designed to provide fundamental data on the consumption of fast food for a balanced diet of university students. The effects of personal characteristics and preferences such as gender, major, residing region, living expense, school grade, dieting, physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption on fast food consumption patterns were analyzed by surveying university students. The analysis showed significant differences (p<0.05) in the consumption of different types of fast food depending on different personal characteristics and preferences as follows : hamburger by major, physical activity and alcohol consumption; chicken by school grade, physical activity and alcohol consumption; spaghetti by gender and smoking. Groups of different majors and school grades showed significant differences (p<0.05) in response to a question "Have you ever eaten fast food for regular meals?". The choice of fast food types based on taste and price appeared to be significantly influenced by majors and gender. Different groups with different majors and dieting experience appeared to think significantly differently about fast food. In response to a question "Has the consumption of fast food changed your diet style" different groups of different majors and physical activities showed significant differences. The analysis of factors affecting fast food choices revealed that fast food is chosen significantly differently depending on gender and majors (p<0.05). The purchase of fast food appeared to be significantly affected by gender, diet, physical activity, experience of fast food and consumption of fast food for regular meals (p<0.05).

Keywords

• fast food;
• balanced diet;
• consumption patterns;
• significant differences