Impact of Trayless Dining Intervention on Food Choices of University Students

Overview

Journal Arch Public Health

Publisher Biomed Central

Date 2018 Sep 28

PMID 30258630

Citations 3

Authors

Janani Rajbhandari-Thapa

Katherine Ingerson

Kristina H Lewis

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Students live outside of their family homes for the first time in college and are expected to make their own decisions regarding dietary choices. College food environment could be a major determinant of dietary intake and is of importance in relation to obesity. This research determines the impact of removing cafeteria trays on student's food choice.

Method: A quasi experimental pre-post research with control treatment was conducted in university dining halls. The participants were the dining hall patrons at a large public university in Southern US, spring 2015. The dining hall trays were removed from the intervened dining hall for five consecutive days during regular university session. Outcome measures of food choice were collected by observing tray waste before and after the tray removal in the intervened dining hall with parallel observation in the control dining hall. Difference-in-difference analysis was done to find the intervention effect.

Results: A total of 3153 trays were observed ( = 1564 in control and = 1589 in intervention dining). Removal of trays resulted in a significant decrease in the total number of lunch plates (1.76 vs 1.66 servings, < .006), drink glasses (1.32 vs 1.02 servings, < .0001), dishes with leftovers (0.56 vs 0.39 serving, < .001), and lunch plates with leftovers (0.51 vs 0.35 servings, < .005).

Conclusions: Student food choices can be affected by removing trays from dining halls, specifically favoring fewer beverages, and without sacrificing salad consumption. Studies with more precise measures of tray waste are needed to understand the direct effect on energy and nutrient consumption.

Citing Articles

Toward a Healthy and Environmentally Sustainable Campus Food Environment: A Scoping Review of Postsecondary Food Interventions.

Lee K, Dias G, Boluk K, Scott S, Chang Y, Williams T Adv Nutr. 2021; 12(5):1996-2022.

PMID: 33836531 PMC: 8483956. DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmab026.

Food Choice and Waste in University Dining Commons-A Menus of Change University Research Collaborative Study.

Wiriyaphanich T, Guinard J, Spang E, Challamel G, Valgenti R, Sinclair D Foods. 2021; 10(3).

PMID: 33801876 PMC: 8000212. DOI: 10.3390/foods10030577.

College campuses' influence on student weight and related behaviours: A review of observational and intervention research.

Bailey C, Sharma S, Economos C, Hennessy E, Simon C, Hatfield D Obes Sci Pract. 2020; 6(6):694-707.

PMID: 33354347 PMC: 7746970. DOI: 10.1002/osp4.445.

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