Chocolate Consumption and Health Beliefs and its Relation to BMI in College Students

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate chocolate consumption, its association with Body Mass Index (BMI), and the relationship between health beliefs about chocolate and its consumption in college students. Methods:In 2013, a paper and electronic survey was conducted to assess personal health information, type of chocolate consumed, its typical serving size, and frequency of consumption. A series of statements pertaining to chocolate consumption and health beliefs was assessed using a five-point Likert scale. The survey was conducted between May 1 and August 5, 2013 and recruited participants from a multi-ethnic population of students and employees of an urban college.Results: Participants (n=553) were 66.7% female, mean age of 23.75 years (SD=7.40) and a mean BMI of 23.61 (SD=5.11). Milk chocolate was consumed by 40% of participants and 28.4% consumed dark chocolate. Most respondents ate a small-medium or medium-large serving size of chocolate (66.8%) and consumed chocolate several times a week (48.9%). A significant association was observed with milk chocolate consumed in large serving sizes, whereas dark chocolate was consumed in small serving sizes (p=0.001). In comparison to males, females were more likely to have consumed dark chocolate (p<0.001) and in smaller servings sizes (p<.001). Racial/ethnic differences were observed with Whites consuming more dark chocolate and other racial/ethnic groups consuming more milk chocolate (p<0.001), while African-Americans and Asians consumed larger serving sizes (p=0.013). Most respondents agreed with a statement that dark chocolate is the healthiest chocolate (74.1%), this belief was stronger among females as compared to males (p<.001). While most chocolate health beliefs were similar between genders and racial and ethnic groups, males, African-Americans, and Hispanics held stronger beliefs that all chocolate is good for one's health (p<.05). BMI was not associated with chocolate consumption nor was health beliefs about chocolate. Conclusion:Our findings showed that this group of college-aged students tended to consume milk chocolate most commonly. Racial/ethnic and gender differences were observed in consumption and general health beliefs of chocolate. No association was observed between BMI and type of chocolate consumption, or between BMI and chocolate health beliefs.Citation: Ming-Chin Yeh, Platkin C, Estrella P, MacShane C, Allinger D, et al. (2016) Cocoa and its polyphenols have been shown to prevent or slow down the progression of cancer by diminishing intracellular reactive oxygen species production, enhance the activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes, act as a radical scavengers, prevent oxidative damage to DNA, inhibit inflammatory mediators, and induce apoptosis in cancer cells [14]. For instance, cocoa was shown to be chemo-protective as it induced antioxidant enzymes and suppressed the expression of inflammatory mediators in a mouse model of colitis-associated cancer cells [15]. Another study found that a polyphenolic cocoa extract had an antioxidant effec...

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