Factors Influencing Eating Behaviours Among University Students during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Malaysia

Abstract

Many university students reported changes in the foods they ate, how much they ate, and how often they snacked because most students have returned to their families, with many taking on passive roles in activities that shape their eating behaviours during COVID-19. Therefore, this study empirically measures how parental influences, food prices, and academic stress influence eating behaviour among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data for the study was collected through a survey with 384 respondents, all of which were recognized, university students. Data were analysed by frequency analysis, descriptive analysis, reliability analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis through SPSS version 26.0. The results of the Pearson correlation demonstrate a link between parental influence, food prices, academic stress, and eating behaviour. The findings indicated that the food price factor influenced university students' eating behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. These findings have implications for future policies and approaches for assessing nutrition in crises like the COVID19 pandemic.