Foods · 8 authors, 9 centres
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This cross-sectional study surveyed college students in food science fields in Spain, finding that while they express concerns about sustainability, their food choices are primarily driven by taste and nutrition. A key limitation is the convenience sample from a single university, which may limit generalizability.
Food sustainability is a multidimensional concept, and perceptions among food science students are understudied, especially in Spain. This study aimed to analyze perceptions of food and sustainability among college students in Human Nutrition and Dietetics (HND) and Food Science and Technology (FST) at the University of Barcelona. Methods: An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted between May 2020 and September 2021. It included a qualitative phase with two focus groups (13 students) and a quantitative phase with a questionnaire administered online, resulting in 300 complete responses. Participants were convenience-sampled from the university, with 151 HND and 149 FST students. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Key Results: Students primarily associated food with pleasure and nutrition, with 90.0% describing their diet as healthy. Sustainability concerns were high, with 78.0% worried about plastic use and 77.7% about food waste. Gender differences were noted, with women showing greater concern for sustainability and more likely to describe their diet as vegetarian/vegan. Limitations: The study used a convenience sample from a single institution, which may limit generalizability. The qualitative phase was limited to two focus groups, and the sample was predominantly female (80.3%). Implications: The findings suggest a gap between sustainability concerns and dietary practices among food science students. There is a need to integrate sustainability more holistically into academic training to foster a critical perspective on the food system. Future research should expand to other institutions and contexts.
