(P14-081-23) The Impact of Eating Behaviors in Health Outcomes Among College International Students During Acculturation

Objectives: Changes in dietary behavior are a common feature of acculturation among college students and may have a direct impact on health outcomes. This study examines the changes in eating behaviors and their impacts on health outcomes among college international students during acculturation. 

Methods: Newly arrived international students (n = 15) were invited to participate in two study visits that were approximately 3 months apart. The first visit occurred within 4 weeks of arrival in the United States (T1), and the second visit occurred 3 months later (T2). Body weight, body fat, blood pressure, waist circumference, blood cholesterol, and hemoglobin A₁C were measured at both visits. Eating behavior was measured using the eight-item Starting the Conversation food frequency questionnaire.

Results: Results showed that body weight, body fat, waist circumference, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and hemoglobin A₁C increased significantly from T1 to T2 (all p < 0.05). In addition, changes in body weight and body fat percentage were positively associated with increases in numbers of food servings (r = 0.56, p < 0.05) and frequency of consumption of desserts and sweets such as ice cream and chocolate (r = 0.66, p < 0.01), respectively. Notably, changes in blood hemoglobin A₁C were positively associated with changes in frequency of eating fast food or snacks (r = 0.54, p < 0.05) and negatively associated with changes in frequency of eating vegetables (r = -0.6, p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Changes in health outcomes were associated with diet among college international students during acculturation, suggesting that the international students experienced changes in health status as a result of their altered diets.

Funding Sources: None