Eating Habits and Nutritional Barriers among Hospitality Management Students of Cavite State University

Abstract

Unhealthy dietary habits are increasingly surpassing healthy eating patterns across many regions of the world. This adverse transition in dietary intake and nutritional behaviour has been strongly associated with the global rise in diet-related non-communicable diseases, particularly obesity. The growing consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, coupled with reduced intake of balanced and nutritious diets, has contributed substantially to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among different population groups worldwide. The study investigated the eating habits and perceived barriers to healthy eating among 677 Hospitality Management students at Cavite State University- Main Campus. Utilizing a descriptive quantitative research design, the study analyzed respondent profiles and measured four distinct eating behaviors, fuel, fun, fog, and storm eating, alongside perceived barriers using a 4-point Likert Scale. The demographic profile revealed that the majority of respondents were female, aged 18-20, and in their first year of study. In terms of eating habits, the respondents occasionally practiced structured nutrition but frequently resorted to mindless or emotional consumption. Specifically, fuel eating (M=2.98) and fun eating (M=2.93) were balanced by notable levels of fog eating (M=2.73) and storm eating (M=2.70); all four behavioral domains had an adjectival rating of “sometimes”, which interprets as a “more likely” tendency to engage in these diverse habits. Consequently, while students understand and occasionally practice healthy eating, behavioral consistency is significantly undermined by emotional and environmental triggers. About the barriers to nutrition, the high cost of healthy options emerged as the primary obstacle (M=3.27), yielding an adjectival rating of “strongly agree” and interpreted as a “high barrier”, followed by taste preferences (M=3.14) and the difficulty of habit adjustment (M=3.09). The study concludes that hospitality students, despite their professional exposure to food service and culinary concepts, remain highly susceptible to poor nutritional choices due to economic constraints and external behavioral pressures. However, the generalizability of these findings is constrained by the exclusion of CvSU satellite campuses and a reliance on self-reported survey data. Furthermore, the scope was methodologically limited by the absence of objective, clinical dietary measures. Based on these outcomes, it is recommended that the university institutionalize structured wellness programs, collaborate directly with canteen vendors to provide affordable, healthy meals, and implement nutritional awareness campaigns to bridge the gap between students’ knowledge and their actual dietary practices.