Digital native students using nutritional apps: are they more adherent to a mediterranean diet model? Results from the good APPetite survey

Reading and understanding food labels are crucial steps in healthy dietary choices. Nutrition-related applications (n-apps) have increased in the recent years and the aim of this study was to assess the use and the perception of n-apps among a population of university students, also investigating the attitude and relationship with reading food labels and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (Medi-Lite score).

In 2023, 316 students, mainly attending the courses of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dietetics at the University of Brescia, Italy, completed an anonymous and specifically designed survey. 33.9% of the students stated that they use or have used n-apps. The most used apps were Yuka, MyFitnessPal, Fat Secret and Yazio, especially for the ease of use, speed, nutritional values estimation and barcode reading. 53.2% and 53.5% of the students declared to be food information and nutrition label readers respectively and the Medi-Lite mean value was 9.98 ± 2.46. N-app-users were significantly more attentive to food information and nutrition label than app not-users (both p < 0.0001) and recorded a Medi-Lite score significantly higher (p = 0.0131).

The present study found for the first time an extensive correlation between the use of n-apps, the food labels awareness and healthy eating habits in a digitally native population.