TY - JOUR
T1 - Life of a vegetarian college student
T2 - Health, lifestyle, and environmental perceptions
AU - Olfert, Melissa D.
AU - Barr, Makenzie L.
AU - Mathews, Anne E.
AU - Horacek, Tanya M.
AU - Riggsbee, Kristin
AU - Zhou, Wenjun
AU - Colby, Sarah E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Objective To examine health behavior and environmental perception differences among vegetarian and nonvegetarian students. Participants: First-year university students (n = 1078) from eight United States universities. Methods: Data were obtained from base 2015 and followup 2016 assessments. Vegetarians and nonvegetarians were compared for anthropometrics, lifestyle behaviors, and campus environmental perceptions (CEPS). Results: Vegetarians had smaller waist circumference, lower systolic blood pressure, higher fruit and vegetable consumption, lower percentage of energy obtained from fat, and higher perceived stress. Vegetarians expressed a lower rating of perceptions of health policies on campus. Conclusion: A clear difference in indicators of physical health does not appear, however, vegetarian students show positive dietary patterns which can promote positive health outcomes. Further, vegetarians had lower perceptions of health policies on campus. Results can be used by administrators to ensure policies are in place to support health of students as currently vegetarian students see limitations in the environmental health policies.
AB - Objective To examine health behavior and environmental perception differences among vegetarian and nonvegetarian students. Participants: First-year university students (n = 1078) from eight United States universities. Methods: Data were obtained from base 2015 and followup 2016 assessments. Vegetarians and nonvegetarians were compared for anthropometrics, lifestyle behaviors, and campus environmental perceptions (CEPS). Results: Vegetarians had smaller waist circumference, lower systolic blood pressure, higher fruit and vegetable consumption, lower percentage of energy obtained from fat, and higher perceived stress. Vegetarians expressed a lower rating of perceptions of health policies on campus. Conclusion: A clear difference in indicators of physical health does not appear, however, vegetarian students show positive dietary patterns which can promote positive health outcomes. Further, vegetarians had lower perceptions of health policies on campus. Results can be used by administrators to ensure policies are in place to support health of students as currently vegetarian students see limitations in the environmental health policies.
KW - Behavior
KW - college
KW - perceptions
KW - vegetarian
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85084254499&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85084254499&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/07448481.2020.1740231
DO - 10.1080/07448481.2020.1740231
M3 - Article
C2 - 32343196
AN - SCOPUS:85084254499
SN - 0744-8481
VL - 70
SP - 232
EP - 239
JO - Journal of American College Health
JF - Journal of American College Health
IS - 1
ER -