Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes both ASU Theses and Dissertations, submitted by graduate students, and the Barrett, Honors College theses submitted by undergraduate students.
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- Creators: School of Nutrition and Health Promotion
Description
This project aims to explore factors influencing college students' eating behavior, and solutions to poor eating habits throughout college. I found that money, taste, and convenience are among the largest contributors to decisions college students make regarding where and what to eat. I have created a cookbook, where each recipe costs under and up to $2 to create, that falls within the acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR), and that will provide a reasonable number of calories for a young adult. My create project entails 21 original recipes that have been tested, perfected, and formed into the AMDR, to provide financially struggling students with a week's worth of substantial meals. I also included original illustrations to make the project visually appealing and add an additional layer of creativity to the work. There are 21 original recipes and 20 original illustrations found in the book, along with original research on the least expensive locations to buy food and the instruments necessary to prepare it. I have also included secondary research on the factors influencing college students' eating habits, and the recommended calorie intake and price point for young adults on a "thrifty" (low income) food plan. I have begun looking into publishing my work, both in print and as an e-book.
ContributorsHazlewood, Bronwyn (Author) / Chiarelli, Dean (Thesis director) / Mason, Maureen (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
OBJECTIVE: Freshman year at college is a time in an adolescent's life marked by a large amount of change in environment, as well as a shift in peer influences. Past research has shown that there are a variety of influences both personal and socio-environmental that affect weight control behaviors in college freshmen. This study examined the relationship between unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCB) and two different personal and socio-environmental factors: time spent on each meal, and the perception that friends are partaking in UWCB. The Social Cognitive Theory was used to explain the intricate and intertwined association between the personal and socio-cognitive factors. METHOD: Unhealthy weight control behavior was assessed from first-year university students (n= 1241) living in campus dorms at Arizona State University. Demographics included Male (n=438) Female (n=802) first-year students with an average age of 17.5 years from various ethnic backgrounds. This was a secondary analysis of the devilSPARC study at Arizona State University and students completed a check-in survey upon participation. The survey asked for an estimation of time spent at meals and also asked the students to determine the individual's use of unhealthy weight control behaviors (vomiting, dieting, diet pills, steroids, substances, and protein shakes) as well as the observation of friend's participating in weight control behaviors. Students received a $15 Amazon gift card and devilSPARC swag as an incentive for participating. All participation was voluntary. RESULTS: This study found that unhealthy weight control behaviors were associated with spending more time on meals; this was relevant during the breakfast period. As well, the use of unhealthy weight control behaviors was associated with friends participating in unhealthy weight control behaviors in regards to both unhealthy weight loss and weight gain behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest both personal and socio-environmental factors affect the use of unhealthy weight control behaviors in college freshmen. Interventions for education should focus on body image and healthy weight control behaviors for college freshmen, intervening both before individuals enter college, as well as during the first year at university. This research is an important contribution to the literature, as it examines unhealthy weight control behaviors in college freshmen and the potential influences they face that lead them to develop such behaviors. Future studies should delve deeper into researching the relationship between time spent eating and weight control behaviors, as that has not been extensively studied in the literature.
ContributorsSwanson, Kendra Melanie (Author) / Bruening, Meg (Thesis director) / Mason, Maureen (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05