Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 99 | Published: 12 Oct 2026
Regina Ama Elinam Papah1,&, Daniel Boateng2, Joseph Kwasi Brenyah1, Johnpaul Amenu2, Ebenezer Dassah1
1Department of Global and International Health, School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, 2Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
&Corresponding author: Regina Ama Elinam Papah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, Email: papahregina01@gmail.com
Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: 12 Oct 2026
Domain: Public Health Nutrition
Keywords: Dietary patterns, undergraduate students, food choices, sociodemographic characteristics
©Regina Ama Elinam Papah et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Regina Ama Elinam Papah et al. ADietary patterns and their determinants among undergraduate students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):99. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0099
University students are often exposed to dietary influences arising from their food environment, personal preferences, and increasing independence from parental oversight. This study aimed to identify dietary patterns and assess their associations with food choice factors and sociodemographic characteristics among undergraduate students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 438 undergraduate students selected through proportionate stratified sampling across the university’s colleges. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire that included sociodemographic characteristics, dietary intake using a food frequency questionnaire, and factors influencing food choices. After excluding incomplete responses and non-responses, 342 questionnaires were included in the final analysis. Principal component analysis was used to derive dietary patterns, and linear regression was performed to assess associations between dietary patterns, food choice factors, and sociodemographic characteristics at a 5% significance level.
Four dietary patterns were identified: “Mixed Diet and Beverage”, “Sugary and Refined Carbohydrate”, “Protein and Oil”, and “Whole Grain and Meat” dietary patterns. Among food choice factors, price was rated as the most influential (mean = 3.18, S.E. = 0.046), whereas religion had the least influence (mean = 2.28, S.E. = 0.064). Significant associations were found between the Mixed Diet and Beverage pattern and monthly income, religion, weight control, and price. Gender, monthly income, and natural content were associated with the Sugary and Refined Carbohydrate pattern. The Protein and Oil pattern was associated with age with no significant associations observed with the Whole Grain and Meat pattern.
The identification of dietary patterns characterized predominantly by sugary, refined, and energy-dense foods highlights potential dietary risk factors for diet-related non-communicable diseases among undergraduate students. These findings support the need for targeted nutrition interventions and supportive food environments to promote healthier food choices and dietary practices among students.
Menu