Food consumption among international students

Food consumption among international students

Student Name: Yangjie liu (Yuna)
Student Number: 160957
Class: AE3Q
Teacher’s Name: Jon and Judy
Date of submission: 5.1,2015

contents
Abstract 3

Introduction 4

Methodology 6

Results 7

Discussion 10

References………………………………………………………………………..…………...………13

Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………………14

Abstract
The hypothesis of this research is that international students have a very different consumption habit of fast food. This study was conducted among 50 international students in Sydney; all of them are Navitas students. The report’s findings revealed that international students ate lunch more than other meal at fast food restaurant and they pay a little attention on food nutrition. A possible implication of this research is that our findings according to fast food consumption would enlarge the turnover in fast food restaurant.

Introduction
The effects of fast-food consumption on any nutrition or health-related outcome will influence further international students if we do not start decrease the consumption of fast food. Over the last decade the fast food was not that popular among the locals but with the increase of international students has made the fast food industry more popular. Price and convenience of fast food is the main factor of this trend. Recently, a range of report has evolved with the aim of the nutrition and health problem of fast food. Fast food become an important role of the diet of international students in Australia and, increasingly, throughout the whole world.

Several studies have been conducted on the consumption of fast food. The study of Anderson (2011) showed that fast food consumption do not have demographic associations with both age and sex. nThis reports also indicated that the main reason of fast food consumption was due to convenience. A report on a survey of Fast Food Facts (2013) revealed that different education degree might result in different habits on fast food consumption. Furthermore, Rafferty (2012) determined that there is no significant relationship between consumption and BMI. In addition, Arabia (2012) also discovered that McDonald’s was identified as the most popular fast food restaurant based on the industry analysis. Furthermore, Pereira (2005) showed Fast-food frequency was lowest for white women (about 1·3 times per week) compared with the other ethnic-sex groups (about twice a week).

However, these studies were not conclusive. First of all, the number of sample in Anderson’s research need present more previous results to demonstrate the trend. Therefore, it would be advisable to include other institutes in further research. Then, The Fast Food Facts just indicated the Saudi Arabia people, so this data could not concluded the whole information among international students. About DR, Essam, his question choices about fast food restaurant was too narrow. Consequently, it should give respondents more choices.

This study aims to determine the frequency and characteristics of fast food consumption among international students. The hypothesis of this research is that international students in Australia have a very different consumption habit of fast food. The finding of this investigation should be useful to help fast food restaurant modify their marketing strategy.

Methodology
To find out the consumption among international students in their daily life, a survey was conducted among 50 international students in Sydney, Australia. All of the participants were Navitas students; the number of male and female sample was equal. The large proportion of students was Chinese, Nepalese, and Thai. The research was carried out by means of questionnaire, which concluded 11 questions. The majority of questions were closed-ended and one was yes or no questions.

The questionnaire was divided into three parts; Gender and age were asked in the first part. The second part consisted of what overseas students preferred to choose in the fast food restaurant and where they preferred to eat. Last part was concerned with nutrition of fast food. Overall, the result were collated and converted to percentages. The data was compared in terms of gender and nationality and represented in graphs.

Results

Graph1 shows the favorite choice of meal in fast food.

The results indicated that lunch was the most popular meal for both males and females (56% and 44% respectively). However, considerably more males than females preferred lunch, in contrast, substantially more females than males preferred snacks (40% and 16% respectively).

Almost half of males liked to have lunch in fast food restaurant, while less than half of females chosen this meal. Dramatically more females than males preferred snacks, while six times as many females as males liked snacks.

Graph 2 demonstrates the favorite fast food restaurant among international students.

It can be clearly seen that McDonalds was the most popular fast food restaurant for both males and females (44% and 36% respectively). However, considerably more males than females preferred MacDonald’s, in contrast, substantially more females than males preferred KFC (20% and 44% respectively)

Almost half of males liked to have fast food in McDonald’s, while one third of the females chosen this McDonald’s. Dramatically more females than males preferred KFC, while two times as many females as males liked KFC.

Graph3 demonstrates the frequency of notice in nutrition among international students.

The most significant figure was that the majority proportion of both males (48%) and females (52%) pay attention on food nutrition sometimes. However, considerably more females than males pay attention on food nutrition frequently.

Both males (0％) and females (12%) occupied the minority proportion of answering ‘always’, while no males chose this answer. Substantially more males than females never noticed food nutrition, while the percentage of males is 10% higher compared with females.

Discussion
The hypothesis of this study was examine the frequency and characteristics of fast food consumption among adults. Generally, it seems that the findings of the survey are in accordance with this. It indicated that when international students went to fast food restaurants they would have big different options about fast food. In particular, lunch was the most popular meal chosen then followed by dinner. Furthermore, home was the place most frequently chosen when international students had their take away food, only a small number of international students noticed the fast food nutrition sometimes. However, the findings of this survey still need to be analyzed.

It is evident that both gender preferred to take fast food as lunch than breakfast and dinner. There are some likely reasons. Firstly, most think that breakfast and dinner are more important than lunch and they then they will try their best to avoid to take the fast food, which is know as junk food, as either breakfast or dinner. It is supported by Alfawaz (2012) shows that most people set the value of importance for both the breakfast and dinner are very high, because they believe that the proper breakfast could help them to get full of energy for the day and the good dinner could improve their happiness. Secondly, they do not have enough time to time to prepare and have their lunch as a result of busy life. Gambado (2012) corroborates this view with the data that about 95% of respondent have less than one hour to lunch.

It is also interesting to notice that international students in Navitas who preferred to have fast food at McDonald’s. A possible explanation could be that in front of our school there is a MacDonald’s which only need spend two or three minutes to walk there. But if they made a choice to go to KFC, it might spend them more than 15 minutes. As a result, they preferred to go to the nearest fast food restaurant. This result is supported by Trubek (2009), which showed convenience was the most important reason for American in both the choice to eat out as well as the particular restaurant chosen to eat. Furthermore, McDonald 's been fairly inexpensive compared to other fast-food places and it also offers 24 hours services. Phalbarg (2012) supported this view by the finding that price is an important factor affecting customer preference when they chose the similar food.

The last phenomenon worth analyzing is that just a few people noticed the nutrition of fast food. The reason of this may because that the taste of food usually is more attractive than the nutrition. Consequently, a great number of people do not care about the food nutrition whenever they bought food on the restaurant or supermarket. There is no doubt that the fast food is delicious. It is also can be seen in the Journal of Marketing (2003), even though nutrition information or health alarms were presented in the restaurant, European consumers would have more positively attitude toward favorable than nutrition. Secondly, to European consumers, it could be because the poor eating habit, the desire to take food is gain energy and stamina rather than maintain good health. It was supported by Josephine M Wills (2009), it appeared that nutrition information not always effective while people have a bad diet or lifestyle.

This study found only a small number of international students about their consumption of fast food in Australia. One possible implication of this study is that, if some fast food restaurant wants to attract more customs they can modify the marketing strategy according to our findings.

The number of limitation is found in this study. It is inevitable to note the number of respondents is too small, thus, it is difficult to represent the tendency of the whole number of international students. Moreover, the age gap of respondents is narrow, as a consequence, it could be more beneficial to increase the number and enlarge the age gap of respondents. Furthermore, the survey placed more emphasis on consumption, so the results might not represent the health problem or obesity that caused by fast food.

Future research in this area could investigate the relationship between fast food consumption and obesity. It would be interesting to look at some information such as eating at fast food restaurant was positively associated with.

References
1.Beth Anderson. (2011). Fast Food Consumption and Obesity Among Michigan Adults. Public Health Research, Practice, and policy.NO.4, A71.
2.Sahasporn Paeratakul, Mbbs. (2003) Fast-food consumption among US adults and children: Dietary and nutrient intake profile. Volume 103 Number 10.
3. Hanan A, Alfawaz. (2012). The Relationship Between Fast Food Consumption and BMI among University Female Students. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 11 (5): 406-410.
4. Josephine M Wills.（2009）. Exploring global consumer attitudes toward nutrition information on food labels. Volume 67, Issue Supplement s1, pages S102–S106.
5.Dr. Essam Ibrahim (2012). Fast-food Industry. Retrieved from https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/62481/1/02whole.pdf

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appendix
FAST FOOD CONSUMPTION AMONG OVERSEAS STUDENTS

Gender
Male Female

Age below 17 17-20 21-23 24-26 More than 26
1) What is your educational background? High school High school graduates Undergraduate student’s Postgraduate students
2) How often do you usually go to a fast food restaurant?
a) … Times per day b)...Times per week
c) …Times per month d) Rarely

3) Why do you choose the fast food restaurant instead of other restaurants? Due to taste of food Value or cost Convenience, fast and quick service some other reasons

4) Do you prefer to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks in the fast food restaurant? Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snacks Others

5) Do you usually order an individual item or a meal package/ family package?
Meal Package Individual items Others

6) What is your favorite fast food place? McDonald’s KFC Hungry Jacks Dunkin Donald Others

7) Do you usually order any super-size/ family size options that are available in the fast food restaurants? Yes No Others

8) Where do you usually eat your take out/ take away? In the car at the home In the office some other place

9) Do you usually go with your family, friends, and co-workers or alone? Family/ relatives Friends Co-workers Alone

10) Have you ever noticed any nutritional information in fast food restaurants? Always Frequently Sometime Never

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME!

References: 1.Beth Anderson. (2011). Fast Food Consumption and Obesity Among Michigan Adults. Public Health Research, Practice, and policy.NO.4, A71. 2.Sahasporn Paeratakul, Mbbs. (2003) Fast-food consumption among US adults and children: Dietary and nutrient intake profile. Volume 103 Number 10. 3. Hanan A, Alfawaz. (2012). The Relationship Between Fast Food Consumption and BMI among University Female Students. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 11 (5): 406-410. 4 5.Dr. Essam Ibrahim (2012). Fast-food Industry. Retrieved from https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/62481/1/02whole.pdf L