Assessment of University Students’ attitude towards Fast food consumption Based on the Prototype/Willingness model: A Qualitative Study in the East South of Iran, Rafsanjan

Abstract

Background and Purpose: University students are young and are thus at a critical period of adopting healthy behaviors. Their life-style exposes them to a high rate of consuming fast food. In the long run, they are faced with higher chances of obesity and risk of affliction with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The present research aims to explore university students’ attitude towards fast food consumption based in the Prototype/Willingness model. Materials and methods: The present research followed a qualitative approach and a directed content analysis in 2018-19 among students affiliated with Rafsanjan universities. The participants were selected through purposeful sampling. A semi-structured interview was held with 20 students and it went on until data satiation occurred. The qualitative content analysis was done through Graneheim and Lundman method. Results: Analysis of university students’ experience of fast food consumption led to the extraction of 2 categories, 16 sub-categories and 65 final codes. The main theme was attitude for which the following subcategories were extracted: pleasure in consumption, fast preparation, inability to cook, lethargy, low cost, inadequate monitoring, Indulgence, bringing excuses, lack of knowledge, optimism in one’s health, consumeristic media, disorganized student life. For the negative attitude category, the following sub-categories were considered: attempts to provide healthy food, hated to fast food consumption, creation of a healthy supportive atmosphere by the family, bad experiences, perceived threat and perceived consequences. Conclusion: Knowledge of positive and negative attitudes would help program designers to contrive of the best preventive strategy focused on the adjustment of positive attitudes and reinforcement of negative attitudes to fast food consumption.