Title : Examining Saudi Students Perception on snacks healthiness and preferences in Umm AlQura University
Abstract:
Introduction: Saudi Students perception of snack healthiness, and preferences is unknown. This crosssectional study aim to examine students perception on snack preferences and snack healthiness and to determine goals and factors that affect their choice of snacks.
Method: Saudi Students from Umm Al-Qura University (n = 209, age between 18 - > 25 years old) participated in this study. All data (general and demographic data) were collected using an online survey. Two snack ranking questions were asked and presented along with one portion size images of different healthy / unhealthy snack types (n =17). The two snack ranking questions (from most to least) were focused on examining students perception on snack healthiness and snack preferences for them. The ranking order of the snack questions was replaced by nutritional composition (energy, sugar, fat and salt content values) of each type of these snacks and used in the analysis. The mean for the top five snack choices by students was used in the analysis.
Result: Students preferred some snacks more than others as they ranked Raisins (13.7 ± 3.45) and date biscuit (12.1 ± 3.62) the most preferred type whereas the least preferred type was Apple (4.8 ± 4.16). Students were not able to determine the healthiest snack based on their ranking score as they ranked Apple the least healthy snack (2.2 ± 2.37) whereas the chocolate bar was the highest healthy snack in the mean (14.1 ± 3.95) amongst all of the 17 snack types. Satisfying hunger (62.8%), based on their preferences (42.2%), as alternative for a main meal when it is the main meal time, (22.1%), as a reward for them (16%), and high nutritional value (13%) were the most reported snack goals by students. 34% of students reported to have two snacks per day and 6% have no snack at all. The students reported that snack taste (60.1%), snack availability (36.8%), snack price (29.8%), environment (27.7%) and friends (26.2%) were the most factors affecting their snack choice. No significant relationship were found between students’ age and their mean ranking score of energy content of their snack healthiness, this suggest that students from different ages were the same in determining the healthiness of snacks However, positive relationship was found between students’ perception on snack preferences and their age which suggest that older students had more preferences to snack high in energy content. No significant relationship was found between students’ perception of snack healthiness and their snack preferences. This means that students had their own preferences, which differed from their perception of healthiness. When students were asked to rank the 17 snacks according to their preferences, there was a significant positive relationship between students’ ranking score and energy content. This shows that students had more preferences to the snacks with higher energy content. There was no significant relationship between students ranking score of snack healthiness and their energy content. This shows that students had no knowledge towards snack healthiness.
Conclusion: Students demonstrated a low level of awareness on snack healthiness as shown in this study. Promoting healthy snack eating behaviour in students from different ages is important and needed by future research, and to clearly understand the surrounding environment which acts as a catalyst .
