Individual and social factors affecting healthy eating habits of university students in Eswatini

Abstract

Healthy eating habits are of paramount importance to university students. This study examined the eating habits of students at two universities in Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland. Based on a qualitative approach, interviews and focus group discussions were used to gather data from forty purposefully sampled Consumer Science final-year students at the universities. The study identified the following individual and social factors affecting the healthy eating habits of university students, which adversely affected the students’ academic performances: insufficient income, university-related stress, lack of tasty meals, poor nutritional knowledge, family members and background, friends and peers, as well as social media influences. The findings were discussed in the light of the need for a change in university policy to promote healthy eating among students.