Analysis of the Dietary Balance and Eating Habits of the Haidian Foreign Language Academy Boarding-school Students in Campus

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate whether students at Haidian Foreign Language Academy (Haiwai) have an imbalanced diet or unhealthy eating behavior and then investigate the reasons behind it. Questionnaires were delivered to high school students in the Haidian Foreign Language Academy international department. They were being questioned about their dietary intake and eating behaviors. Afterwards, their dietary intake has compared with the standard nutrient amount provided by the Chinese Nutrition Society. Both male and female students had lower calorie intake, and higher fat and carbohydrate intake compared to the standard (P < 0.01). Male students’ protein intake has no statistical difference from the standard, whereas female students have significantly less protein intake compared to the standard (P<0.01). Less than half of the students cared about their calorie (33%), and more than half of the students cared about their dietary balance (65%). Most of the students had lunch daily, but less than half of the students eat breakfast and dinner daily (45% and 44% respectively), mainly due to lack of time and fasting. The majority of students have fruit intake daily (85%). Many students in Haiwai have an imbalanced diet, regardless of gender, and many engaged in unhealthy eating behaviors such as skipping breakfast or dinner. Future research shall be done to investigate how to improve the campus eating environment to reduce the frequency of unhealthy eating behaviors of students.