Fatma ILGAZ, Mehmet FISUNOGLU
Hacettepe Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi - 2026;13(2):418-436
Objectives : This study was designed to determine the association between food choice motives and consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods in young adults, and to investigate if there is a difference in food choice motives between specific subgroups according to gend er, obesity or the presence of depression, anxiety or stress. Material and Methods: The study was planned as a cross -sectional study , and 1000 undergraduate students enrolled in the 2017 -2018 academic year were included . Data on students' food choice preferences and the underlying motivations were collected through face -to-face interviews using the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) , while data on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were obtained using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale -42 (DASS -42). Food consumption was recorded using a semi -quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and the consumption of dairy products, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables was classified as "healthy", whereas the consumption of fast food, sugar -added foods, and junk food was evaluated as "unhealthy" food con sumption. Mean scores of the importance were calculated for gender, BMI, and DASS -42 subscales. The food choice motives within each category were subsequently ranked from the most to the least important based on these mean scores. Results: There was a significant difference between groups in terms of mean scores for importance of food choice motives, particularly related to gender, depression , and stress status. For food choice , sensory appeal was the most important motive in all groups, followed by 'price' or 'convenience'. Gender and depression -anxiety -stress status were found to be relatively more effective on the rank order of food choice motives compared to BMI. Consumption o f healthy foods was positively correlated with 'health', ' natural content' and 'weight control' motives; however, unhealthy food consumption was negatively associated with these factors (p<0.01). Conclusion: In conclusion, university students are prone to select non -health -related food choice motives, even in the presence of being overweight or obese . Gender and the symptoms of depression and stress slightly differentiated the rankings, and the consumption of healthy or unhealthy foods can be affected by the priorities related to food choice.
