Patterns of Food Consumption of a Sample of College Students Using Superseded Canada’s Food Guide

Our previous studies using large national datasets revealed that most Canadian adolescents and elderly people do not consume adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables. The present study aimed to explore the patterns of food consumption in a sample of college students. This is a secondary analysis of a master’s thesis completed in 2018. Sixty-eight students completed the study by providing a 3-day food record. Considering the 2011 Canada’s Food Guide, the consumption of four main food groups, plus the intakes of energy, nutrients, dietary fiber, and water, were estimated. The self-identified female and male participants had different food consumption profiles for all food groups; this variation was more prominent in fruits and vegetables as well as milk and dairy foods. The consumption of plant-based foods was below the recommended amounts in most of the students. The intakes of energy, proteins, fats, cholesterol, vitamins (A, C, D), sodium, and dietary fiber significantly varied between the two groups of students. Additional studies are needed to establish whether these findings may be applicable to larger adult populations.