Postsecondary Students’ Knowledge of and Adherence to the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide: A Cross-sectional Pilot Survey

Purpose: We conducted a pilot survey among young adults attending a suburban Canadian university to understand: (1) knowledge of the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide (CFG); (2) self-reported food choices and eating habits; (3) perceived influence of the CFG on food choices and eating habits; and (4) suggestions to improve engagement with CFG. Methods: Students were recruited, through posts on social media platforms, to complete an online questionnaire between 7 March and 6 April 2020. Results: One-hundred and twenty-one (70% women) students responded. One-third (33%) of women and 8% of men reported consuming the recommended proportion of vegetables and fruits (i.e., 40%–60% of the plate) at their most recent meal (P = 0.001). Men were more likely to report overconsuming protein foods than women (58% vs 32%, P = 0.005). The perceived influence of the CFG on food choices and eating habits was low, with a mean score 2.2 ± 1.4 out of 7, with 7 indicating “highly influential.” Over 92% of participants believed awareness of the CFG could be improved through social media platforms. Conclusions: Although half of the participants correctly answered all 8 questions that assessed knowledge of the CFG, there is an opportunity for dietitians and related health professionals to improve engagement with CFG.

Postsecondary Students’ Knowledge of and Adherence to the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide: A Cross-sectional Pilot Survey Journal Articles