Development and Preliminary Testing of the Food Choice Priorities Survey (FCPS): Assessing the Importance of Multiple Factors on College Students’ Food Choices

Abstract

Understanding factors that influence food choice may help improve diet quality. Factors that commonly affect adults' food choices have been described, but measures that identify and assess food choice factors specific to college students are lacking. This study developed and tested the Food Choice Priorities Survey (FCPS) among college students. Thirty-seven undergraduates participated in two focus groups ( n = 19; 11 in the male-only group, 8 in the female-only group) and interviews ( n = 18) regarding typical influences on food choice. Qualitative data informed the development of survey items with a 5-point Likert-type scale (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important). An expert panel rated FCPS items for clarity, relevance, representativeness, and coverage using a content validity form. To establish test-retest reliability, 109 first-year college students completed the 14-item FCPS at two time points, 0-48 days apart ( M = 13.99, SD = 7.44). Using Cohen's weighted κ for responses within 20 days, 11 items demonstrated moderate agreement and 3 items had substantial agreement. Factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure (9 items). The FCPS is designed for college students and provides a way to determine the factors of greatest importance regarding food choices among this population. From a public health perspective, practical applications include using the FCPS to tailor health communications and behavior change interventions to factors most salient for food choices of college students.

Food Choice Priorities Change Over Time and Predict Dietary Intake at the End of the First Year of College Among Students in the U.S.

“…The Food Choice Priorities Survey (FCPS) asks participants to rate the importance of “the main factors that influence the food you eat on a regular basis” using a five-point Likert scale (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important). The FCPS was informed by interviews and focus groups with college students and assessed for content validity and reliability, which is described in full by Vilaro and colleagues [ 16 ] The FCPS contains three scales and five individual items. Scales include: food choice driven by the advertising environment containing two items, (social media (Pinterest, Instagram, other) and advertising (TV, magazines, other); food choice driven by a healthy aesthetic includes three items, (health, effect on physical appearance, and freshness/quality/in season); and food choice driven by busy daily life and preferences includes four items, (taste, convenience, routine/what I’m used to eating, and ability to feel full).…”

“…Minority and lower-income populations more frequently cite non-health related drivers of food choice, indicating exploration of additional drivers of food choice may help mitigate diet-related disparities based on sociodemographic differences [ 13 , 15 ]. Aspects of the college lifestyle provide exposures that uniquely influence food choice decisions, including that many students are living independently for the first time and may access to dining halls and meal plans [ 16 ]. Specifically, college freshmen experiencing the transition to college are at risk of unwanted weight-gain during the first year [ 17 , 18 ].…”

Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Yiyecek İçecek Seçimini Etkileyen Faktörlerin Analizi: Balıkesir Üniversitesi Örneği

“…Alan yazın incelendiğinde yiyecek içecek seçimini etkileyen faktörler yaş, cinsiyet, medeni hal, eğitim düzeyi ve gelir durumu gibi demografik faktörler (Zunft et al, 1997;Korkmaz, 2005;Ermiş vd., 2015;Gama et al, 2018;Saygı, 2018); fiziki görünüş, kilo ve hastalık durumu gibi genetik faktörler (Ermiş vd., 2015;Silventoinen ve Konttinen, 2020); aile, arkadaşlar, sosyal statü, dini inançlar gibi sosyo-kültürel faktörler (Oygard ve Klepp, 1996;Neumark-Sztainer et al, 1999;James, 2004;Voytyuk ve Hruschka, 2017;Keith et al, 2018); ekolojik ve çevresel faktörler (Bruening et al, 2012;González-Gil et al, 2019;Battaglia, 2020); açlık, karın doyurma, ruh hali, stres, alışkanlık, aşinalık, tercihler, duyusal faktörler ve kişisel güdüleme faktörleri gibi bireysel faktörler (Neumark-Sztainer et al, 1999;Swanson et al, 2013;Girgin ve Karakaş, 2017;Keith et al, 2018;Gama et al, 2018;González-Gil et al, 2019); besin değeri, tat, duyusal çekicilik, fiyat uygunluğu, maliyet, kalite, hijyen ve hazırlama kolaylığı gibi gıdaya ilişkin özellikler (Neumark-Sztainer et al, 1999;Korkmaz, 2005;Özdemir, 2010;Girgin ve Karakaş, 2017;Vilaro et al, 2017;Keith et al, 2018;Zonneveld et al, 2019); sağlık faktörü (Vilaro et al, 2017;Gama et al, 2018); fiziksel aktivite ihtiyacı (Neumark-Sztainer et al, 1999;Ermiş vd., 2015) ile sosyal medya ve reklamlar (Swanson et al, 2013;Vilaro et al, 2017) olarak sıralanabilir. Voytyuk ve Hruschka (2017: 126) bir insanın yeme standartlarının sosyo-kültürel yapıya bağlı olarak günlük yaşamda içselleştirildiğini ve bu nedenle, rutinleşmiş ve kökleşmiş olduğu için yiyecek se...…”

“…Alan yazın incelendiğinde yiyecek içecek seçimini etkileyen faktörler demografik faktörler, genetik faktörler, sosyo-kültürel faktörler, ekolojik ve çevresel faktörler, bireysel faktörler, gıdaya ilişkin özellikler, sağlık faktörü, fiziksel aktivite ihtiyacı ile sosyal medya ve reklamlar olarak sıralanabilir (Swanson et al, 2013;Ermiş vd., 2015;Vilaro et al, 2017;Saygı, 2018;Keith et al, 2018;González-Gil et al, 2019;Zonneveld et al, 2019;Silventoinen ve Konttinen, 2020). Araştırmada başvurulan faktör analizi ise bu faktörlerin fiziki koşullar faktörü, psiko-sosyal faktörler, yiyecek-içeceğe ilişkin faktörler, ekonomik faktörler, psikolojik faktörler, demografik faktörler ve kültürel faktörler olarak sıralandığını ortaya koymaktadır.…”

“…In this context, the aim of the study is to determine the perception of factors affecting the food choices of university students based on demographic variables. Turkish Studies,16(1) Factors affecting the choice of food and beverage can be listed as demographic factors (age, gender, marital status, education and income status), genetic factors (physical appearance, weight and disease state), socio-cultural factors (family, friends, social status, religious beliefs), ecological and environmental factors, individual factors (hunger, satiety, mood, stress, habit, familiarity, preferences, sensory factors and personal motivation factors), food-related features (nutritional value, taste, sensory appeal, affordability, cost, quality, hygiene and ease of preparation), health factors, physical activity needs, social media and advertisements (Zunft et al, 1997;Neumark-Sztainer et al, 1999;Korkmaz, 2005;Bruening et al, 2012;Swanson et al, 2013;Girgin ve Karakaş, 2017;Vilaro et al, 2017;Voytyuk ve Hruschka, 2017;Gama et al, 2018;Keith et al, 2018;Gama et al, 2018;Saygı, 2018;Zonneveld et al, 2019;González-Gil et al, 2019;Battaglia, 2020;Silventoinen ve Konttinen, 2020).…”