Food Consumption Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of Undergraduate Students at Kasetsart University’s Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus

Abstract

Adolescent dietary behavior is of critical importance, as it has a direct impact on physical health and academic performance. Inappropriate or unhealthy eating habits during this developmental stage can lead to long-term health issues, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and various forms of malnutrition. These conditions are of particular concern within the field of public health due to their growing prevalence and impact on the population’s well-being. The Objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationships between knowledge, attitudes, and food consumption behaviors of undergraduate students at Kasetsart University’s Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus. A total of 218 students were selected by stratified random sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of the study indicated that most of the students were female (81.19%), in Year 2 (91.36%), and spent an average of 3,579.19 ± 1,164.28 baht per month. The students had a high level of knowledge about food consumption (96.33%), a moderate level of attitude toward food consumption (84.40%) with an average score of 3.34±0.28, and had a moderate level of food consumption behavior (55.98%) with an average score of 3.41±0.85. It is recommended to further investigate the related environmental, social, and motivational factors in order to better understand their influences on food consumption behaviors. The resulting data will enable a more effective analysis and the design of targeted health promotion activities.