Food consumption patterns among university students in Zamora

Aims: To assess, using a posteriori techniques, prevailing food consumption patterns of university students in Zamora and their association with food groups, in order to know how far can be away from a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet. Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive and observational study of a representative sample of university students in the province of Zamora (n = 213, 18-29 years). Food consumption was assessed using a validated semi-quantitative consumer frequency questionnaire, which included 64 foods, grouped into 13 food groups. Consumption patterns were determined by factor analysis. Results: University students in Zamora show two consumption patterns: "Mediterranean", which accounts for 19.4% of the total variance and is characterized by consumption of dairy products, fish and seafood, meats and vegetables, sausages, cereals and tubers, fruit and vegetables and olive oil, and "Western", which accounts for 22.2% of the total variance and is characterized by consumption of dairy products, eggs, meats and vegetables, sausages, nuts, other fats other than olive oil, pastries and sweets, prepared foods and sugar sweetened beverages, with low consumption of fruit and vegetables. The factor analysis shows a sample adequacy measure (KMO) of 0.615. Conclusions: The university students of Zamora are in nutritional transition, with a diet that moves away from the recommendations of the Mediterranean Diet.