Background: While a growing body of literature acknowledges the role that close relationships have on nutrition outcomes, little research has assessed how significant others impact health during youth. This study assessed how being in a relationship during freshman year is associated with fast food consumption, restaurant meals, and alcohol intake.Methods: The current study is a secondary analysis from SPARC (Social impact of Physical Activity and nutRition in College), a longitudinal study of nutrition and weight outcomes among college freshman. Participants (n=535; 73% female; 50% non-white) completed web-based surveys during the 2015-2016 academic year at two different time points: August 2015 (Time 1) and November 2015 (Time 2). Mixed generalized logistic regression, adjusted for participant sociodemographic and clustering of students within residence halls, examined the association between fast food consumption, restaurant meals, and alcohol intake at Time 2, after controlling for Time 1 relationship status and Time 1 eating out, and alcohol intake. Results: At Time 1, 34% of participants were in a relationship, 23% of participants reported fast food consumption >2 days/week and 31% reported restaurant meals >1 day/week, and 43% reported weekly alcohol intake. Participants in a relationship at Time 1 were significantly more likely to eat in a restaurant at Time 2, after controlling for Time 1 restaurant use (OR= 1.78, p=0.009). No association was observed with relationship status and fast food consumption (OR=1.36, p=0.226), or alcohol consumption (OR=0.67, p=0.096). Conclusions: Findings suggest romantic relationships are associated with greater restaurant use in college freshman, but none of the other assessed behaviors. Future research is needed to assess the extent to which being in a relationship influences eating behavior among college freshman, and how it may relate to weight changes.

Background In the United States (US), first-year university students typically live on campus and purchase a meal plan. In general, meal plans allow the student a set number of meals per week or semester, or unlimited meals. Understanding how students’ use their meal plan, and barriers and facilitators to meal plan use, may help decrease nutrition-related issues.

Methods First-year students’ meal plan and residence information was provided by a large, public, southwestern university for the 2015-2016 academic year. A subset of students (n=619) self-reported their food security status. Logistic generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to determine if meal plan purchase and use were associated with food insecurity. Linear GEEs were used to examine several potential reasons for lower meal plan use. Logistic and Linear GEEs were used to determine similarities in meal plan purchase and use for a total of 599 roommate pairs (n=1186 students), and 557 floormates.

Results Students did not use all of the meals available to them; 7% of students did not use their meal plan for an entire month. After controlling for socioeconomic factors, compared to students on unlimited meal plans, students on the cheapest meal plan were more likely to report food insecurity (OR=2.2, 95% CI=1.2, 4.1). In Fall, 26% of students on unlimited meal plans reported food insecurity. Students on the 180 meals/semester meal plan who used fewer meals were more likely to report food insecurity (OR=0.9, 95% CI=0.8, 1.0); after gender stratification this was only evident for males. Students’ meal plan use was lower if the student worked a job (β=-1.3, 95% CI=-2.3, -0.3) and higher when their roommate used their meal plan frequently (β=0.09, 99% CI=0.04, 0.14). Roommates on the same meal plan (OR=1.56, 99% CI=1.28, 1.89) were more likely to use their meals together.

Discussion This study suggests that determining why students are not using their meal plan may be key to minimizing the prevalence of food insecurity on college campuses, and that strategic roommate assignments may result in students’ using their meal plan more frequently. Students’ meal plan information provides objective insights into students’ university transition.