Analysis on Awareness and Practices for Diet according to Lifestyles of College Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the awareness and practices for diet according to the lifestyles of college students in Youngnam region. The data were collected by self-administered questionnaires during May 2007. One hundred-ninety samples were analyzed by SPSS Windows. Frequencies, Cronbach's alpha, factor analysis, cluster analysis, one-way analysis of variance, Duncan's multiple range test and chi-square test were conducted. The results were as follows. Lifestyles were categorized into four factors by factor analysis: popularity-seeking type, body-management-seeking type, convenience-seeking type and healthy-seeking type. In addition, the respondents belonged to one of four groups by cluster analysis: body-management-seeking group, popularity-seeking group, convenience-seeking group, and healthy-seeking group. There were significant differences in perception about individual body images, concern of diet, awareness of diet necessity and knowledge and practices for diet among the four groups. That is, the body-management-seeking group showed the highest levels of concern of diet, awareness of diet necessity and the practice of fasting therapy. Additionally, the healthy-seeking group showed the highest level of practice of exercise therapy.