Fruit and vegetable intake among college students in Nitra - Comparative study

Abstract

The aim of the study was to collect and analyse the frequency of fruit (fresh, dried, canned and nuts) and vegetable (fresh, tinned, legumes, soya) consumption in the group of 242 respondents aged 19 - 22 years-students of Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra; to evaluate differences according to field of study and language in which they study (Hungarian or Slovak) by questionnaire method. On the base of collected data it can be concluded that in general the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables can be considered as very low (only once a day) together with canned and dried fruit (nuts) and tinned vegetable (rarely). Furthermore, the majority of respondents took legumes only 1 - 3 times a week or rarely and soya had never been consumed. The statistically significant differences between college students of PEEH and the rest of assayed group of students had not been confirmed so the higher level of knowledge in health has not been connected with the higher consumption of fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, statistically significant differences have been proved between the following assayed groups of university students: RTH ↔ RTS (χ 7.90, p < 0.05), J ↔ RTH (χ 9.99, p < 0.05), J ↔ RTS (χ 10.00, p < 0.05), J ↔ PEES - SK (χ 9.91, p < 0.05). Statistically significant differences were assayed also in consumption of dried fruits or nuts among the following field of study: J ↔RTS (χ 9.48, p < 0.01), RTH ↔ RTS (χ 12.57, p < 0.05), RTS↔PEES (χ 8.19, p < 0.01). Consumption of fresh vegetables was statistically different between the students J↔RTS (χ 9.95, p < 0.05) and RTS ↔PEES (χ 8.19, p < 0.01). © 2016 Potravinarstvo. All rights reserved.