Influence of Psychosocial Factors on Optimal Dietary Intake of University Students of Kenya

Volume 1 - Issue 5

Mutuli A L¹*, Achoka S K J¹ and Onyango C A²

Received: March 20, 2019;   Published: March 27, 2019

DOI: 10.32474/SJFN.2018.01.000123

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Abstract

Background: University students’ encounter environmental changes which exerts mixed perceptions on sufficiency of their diets. Objective: This cross-sectional study determined the influence of psychosocial factors influencing optimal dietary intake of university students.

Methods: This was conducted from August to November 2017 within 5 Kenyan universities purposively sampled. Stratified sampling was utilized to obtain 230 respondents. Quantitative data was collected where exploratory factor analysis tested dimensionality of questions, while skewness and kurtosis assessed normality of data. Structural equation modelling determined predictive power of latent variables.

Results: The model fitted data acceptably well; P<0.001, Tucker Lewis index =0.93, comparative fit index =0.95, root mean square error of approximation =0.090, Hoelter critical N (0.01=230], with optimal dietary intake. Regression weights showed predictive power for student’s attitude (β=0.68, P<0.01), subjective norm (β=0.36, P<0.05), perceived behavioural control (β=0.34, P<0.05) towards intention (β=0.95 P<0.001).

Conclusion: Student’s attitude was a significant factor in improving and upholding optimal dietary intake.

Keywords:Optimal dietary intake; Psychosocial factors; University students; Theory of planned behaviour

Abstract| Introduction| Methods and Data| Results| Discussion| Conclusion| References|