(P05-013-23) The Impact of Food Environment Modifications on University Students’ Purchasing Behavior

Objectives: To examines the impact of university food environment changes (fruit, water, and milk) pre- and post-intervention using university food sales data collected from 20 quick-service restaurants.

Methods: Students who used campus meal plans during the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 academic years were included. To assess intervention efficacy, we conducted an analysis using negative binomial regressions on fruit, water, and milk transactions classified by the intervention (pre and post), controlling for race/ethnicity, international status, financial aid awarded, gender, health major, and student class standing. Then, we conducted interaction tests between each covariate and intervention.

Results: The study included transactions made by 6,146 students. The population was 42% racial/ethnic minority students, 53% financial aid recipients, and 56% female. Fruit purchases increased due to the intervention, more so for those not receiving financial aid. Water sales increased to different degrees depending on the student’s financial aid status and gender. Milk sales decreased from pre- to post- intervention periods.

Conclusions: The research team made simple changes that were cost-effective and impactful. Given that most universities offer meal plans, and the sales data associated with meal plans is recorded and potentially available to researchers, an opportunity exists for many researchers affiliated with universities to study student purchasing behavior.

Funding Sources: This project was funded by the North Carolina Division of Public Health via DHHS Centers for Disease Control. Developing and Implementing Health Food Guidelines for the UNC Charlotte Fast Food Vendors and Developing a Nutrition Security Action Plan for UNC Charlotte (Grant #: NU38OT000286-3).