Cooking skills.

Individuals’ cooking skills emerged as a factor influencing dietary intake on campus life. The students who had cooking skills tended to have made cooking arrangements in their rooms. On the other hand, those who did not how to cook avoided cooking in their personal rooms. The participants reported that despite the poor quality of diet served in the dining hall the students who lacked cooking skills had to adapt to it. However, some of the newly admitted students were reported to develop their cooking skills gradually and tended to make cooking arrangement on their own. Overall, female students had better cooking skills than their male counterparts. Possibly the female students learnt these skills at their homes. One participant stated this in the IDI:

“In Bengali culture, female individuals are usually familiar with cooking activities. Hence, they gain good cooking skills within their family environment. …female students are commonly seen to cook in their personal living arrangements. …but you see the percentage of students who cook is much less among the male students than the female.”

(First year female student)

The opposite perception was reported about the male students’ cooking skills. One participant of FGD stated this:

“Male individuals rarely participate in cooking in their adulthood. They usually learn cooking in halls by doing it.”

(Second year male student)

Food taste.

Food taste emerged as a common factor for choices concerning food intake among the participants. The participants admitted that color, smell, and texture of food were usually considered in food choice. Although the participants mentioned these aspects commonly, they were found to be variably inclined to choose based on their familiarity and experiences that are often linked to regional backgrounds. For example, some of them favored spicy items; similarly, some of them preferred sweetness or bitterness. However, almost all respondents stated that food items served at the canteen of residence halls are monotonous in taste as they use the same ingredients and raw elements throughout the year. Therefore, the graduates often are seen to make some personal arrangement in preparing dishes in their rooms. Some of the participants even sought meals in restaurants outside the campus for a change in taste. The situation was explained in the following quote from an FGD:

“Yes, students consider taste in choosing food items. Taste includes color, smell, and texture of the dishes that you are eating. To avoid monotonous diet, students often enjoy dishes from outside the campus.”

(Third year male student)

Food taboo.

Eating behavior and eating patterns based on food taboos were reported. Many students reported deliberately avoiding some food items which are prohibited by their own religion. For example, students following Hindu religion never consumed beef, as their religion prohibited it. One participant explained this:

“Students strictly maintain food taboos. They never consume items that are not permitted by their religion.”

(Fourth year male student)

State of mind.

State of mind was commonly reported to be a notable factor affecting the eating habits and choice of dietary intake. Stressful conditions such as exam pressure influenced students to compromise on food quality. Students showed no or little interest in cooking ahead of the exam. Some of the students even skipped breakfast or failed to take delayed meals. On the other hand, they were found to take meals in restaurants, while they prepared for exams. The students tended to celebrate the end of their exam by exploring different dishes and tastes in and around the campus. The situation was explained in an IDI:

“When you finish an exam, it’s a great thing in your life. You can celebrate that event by exploring some taste.”

(Fourth year male student)

Similarly, one participant of an FGD said this:

“Before the exam, you cannot think about anything else. Food quality is not a big issue; rather, how to pass the exam is.”

(First year female student)

Past food habit.

Past dietary habits of students influenced their eating behavior and food choices on the campus environment. Students seemed to be inclined to consider taste, color, and ingredients of food with which they have been habituated, during their family life. Ultimately, family feeding practices influenced students who became inclined or disinclined to choose particular types of food. In general, the persons who came from rural settings seemed to include diets with carbohydrates (plain rice) and spicy items; whereas, students from urban backgrounds were more inclined to include non-carbohydrates (processed food) and non-spicy foods in their diet. One participant elaborated on the issue in an IDI:

“I am from a rural setting. I am used to eating rice since childhood. If I eat all the food available in the world except rice, I feel I did not eat for days. I cannot survive a single day by avoiding rice.”

(Second year male student)

Knowledge and perception about nutritional benefit.

The level of knowledge and perception about the health benefits of nutrition influenced the eating behavior and dietary intake. Most of the students had limited knowledge about the health benefits of nutritious food items. A large number of participants reported that consuming food is the key issue, regardless of the type of food. The majority of the participants did not consider the nutritional value while consuming a particular food item. They even admitted that they did not have good knowledge about the nutritional value of the food they commonly eat as part of their daily meals. One of the participants reported in an IDI:

“In my meal I just consider those items with which I have been habituated to for long. I do not know what nutritional component is contained in it and which one is beneficial for my body…I do not know which food contains which nutritional component, which foods provide proper nutrients and are balanced in proteins, carbs, vitamins, fats, and minerals.”

(Third year male student)

Moreover, most of the health benefits of proper nutrition were perceived to have little/no importance among the participants in all methods. The participants believed that considering nutritious and balanced food intake might not be a significant issue at such a young age. The health conditions of the young graduates were believed to be good as they maintained a routine which included their studies. Some of the participants assumed that they were in good health as they were not yet diagnosed with any illness, and thus appeared to infer that their nutritional needs were met, regardless of what they ate. Such notions were explained by the following quote in an FGD:

“I am a healthy man since I do not have any disease. Why should I worry about the nutrition components of food now? Moreover, I can maintain my daily activities without feeling weak.”

(First year male student)

Similarly, another participant said this in the IDI:

“Maintaining nutritional needs of the body is unlikely to be a crucial issue in young age. You can maintain such a health condition that is needed to live a sound life because of your age. Dietary intake is likely to be to a vital concern for the elderly people.”

(Fourth year female student)

Level of physical activity.

Level of physical activity appeared as a factor in determining dietary intake. Students engaging in the habit of regular physical exercise seemed to prefer larger quantities of food intake than those who did not have any physical activity. Physical activities such as outdoor sports, body building, and regular walking influenced dietary choice—mostly involving a larger quantity of carbohydrates and protein intake. The participants believed that physical activity leads to a loss of energy and higher amount of carbohydrates are important for balancing this loss of energy. One participant stated this in the FGD:

“If you perform physical exercises such as jogging, you lose much energy. …you must find a balance between the damage and reparation of energy. Larger amounts of carbohydrates such as rice, along with proteins such as beef or egg can be a good source of this reparation as it is available, cheap, and easy to cook.”

(Fourth year male student)

However, few participants thought that carbohydrate and protein intake alone may not be enough to reenergize the body, and that vitamins, minerals, and vegetables are also the vital. Nevertheless, the students could not manage to consume it is as much as they need, due to the high costs and difficulty of preparing them. For example, although vegetables and fish are cheap and available in markets, it is difficult to process and cook them. One participant explained this situation in an IDI:

“If I cook meals I prefer beef or egg as a source of protein. I know that fish and vegetables are good sources of proteins and vitamins as well, but I avoid it because it’s very difficult to prepare. …again, if I have food from the hall canteen, I cannot taste a variety of vegetables as they offer a single vegetable in a meal.”

(First year male student)

Influence of peers.

Hall inhabitants, roommates, course mates, close friends, and classmates were reported to be consistently influential in the participants choice of dietary intake. Participants in all methods informed that when a few students are arranging for meals together, they preferred to cook two or more dishes with curry and were also found to be cooking regularly as it was easy. They tended to be accustomed to preparing a variety of dishes including meat/fish, vegetables, rice, salads, and beverages (occasionally). One participant illustrated this factor in an IDI:

“A few students prepare meals together, as it costs less and requires little time and labor. Subsequently, they can prepare a variety of meals. …thus they avoid monotonous dishes.”

(Third year female student)

Similarly, when a few friends/course mates had food from on-campus canteens, they were inclined to have several dishes as they shared the costs between them. On the contrary, while some students prepared meals separately they tended to only have a limited variety of dishes to avoid the intense labor, time, and cost. In such cases, these students preferred to consistently have meals with rice, mashed potatoes, and eggs. One participant in the FGD said this:

“If you are alone, everything is done by you, including shopping, preparing, cooking… you are subsequently limited to a single dish… most often you prefer to cook dishes which are easy to prepare with low costs, such as mashed potatoes and rice”

(Third year female student)

Social network.

Participants revealed that social interactions and personal interactions were a factor influencing their food choices and dietary intake. Students who had a wider friendship network on the campus and/or hall of residence reported having celebrations involving food in famous restaurants in Sylhet city. Students often tried to test dishes in restaurants in the nearby city in a group as they could share the cost between the group members and have a variety of delicious dishes. One participant mentioned this in the FGD:

“I have good friendships with a number of students in different disciplines. We test different dishes in famous restaurants such as Panshi or Kutum bari very often. We can afford it because we share the dish and cost.”

(Second year male student)

Social norms and beliefs.

Female students more frequently reported having the habit of cooking than the male students. In Bengali culture, male individuals rarely participate in cooking activities. However, females were expected to learn cooking throughout their childhood and adolescent years and are therefore likely to have experience in cooking and tended to cook for themselves in their residence hall. In many cases, a group of female students collectively cooked a single meal for themselves. Female students were found to like fresh food and a variety of dishes compared to the male students. One participant said in an IDI:

“Naturally, female students are familiar with cooking. They learned it during their childhood. Therefore, they might not get bored with cooking. …of course they will get fresh and a variety of dishes as they know how to cook?”

(First year female student)

Availability and affordability of fresh raw food.

The availability of fresh raw food items with affordable prices appeared to be a considerable factor determining the diet. Participants reported that food, especially seasonal vegetables (winter), with affordable prices favor cooking in the hall of residence. This trend was mostly found among female students. During winter, a lot of vegetables become available on the campus premises at low prices, influencing their cooking arrangements; therefore, the consumption of vegetables increased in winter. Similarly, in monsoon, the students found cooking somewhat difficult as the availability and affordability of vegetables reduced. Besides, in the monsoon, acquiring fresh and raw food ingredients seemed to be difficult on campus. Considering the unavailability and higher price of raw food items, students tended to avoid cooking and were inclined to eat at dining halls and/or canteens and mobile/temporary food shops on the campus. One participant told in an IDI:

“Due to the availability and low price, students become interested in cooking in the winter. However, they avoid it in the rainy season, as they lack adequate vegetables in this time. But, in winter, they consume adequate vegetables.”

(First year male student)

Vegetables become available and popular in the hall canteen and temporary food shops in the winter. The students tended to consume more vegetables in that period than in other seasons.

Food cost.

Food cost was commonly mentioned as a significant issue in choosing and/or arbitrating dietary intake among the students. The data revealed that many students skipped breakfast after considering the cost. A substantial number of students had the habit of having lunch instead of breakfast intentionally so they can save 15–30 taka. (USD 0.2–0.4). As most students in the public university hail from the lower middle socio-economic class; they received a meager amount of money from their homes to survive. Consequently, they tended to adopt a coping up strategy by cutting expenses incurred on breakfast. One participant stated in the FGD:

“Many of us are from poor and middle class families. Thus we receive no/little money from our families. As a coping mechanism, we sometimes skip breakfast intentionally.”

(Third year female student)

On the other hand, some participants revealed that many students habitually slept late at the night due to studying and/or other activities (gossiping/watching movies/watching sports on a PC or TV). Consequently, they had some light snacks (including biscuits, dry cake, tea, and coffee) before sleeping. They usually woke up late (after 10 am) and did not want to have breakfast. Often, they had to hurry to attend class. In many cases, they preferred to have lunch directly instead of breakfast. One participant informed in the IDI:

“Those who slept late usually woke up late. In the midnight, they usually had some snacks which energized them till lunch in the following day. Thus, they could avoid breakfast.”

(Second year male student)

Nevertheless, a few participants revealed that sleeping late and avoiding breakfast had become the hall culture. Many students who had the habit of sleeping late did not have snacks before their sleep. Therefore, they were more likely to have a nutritional deficiency. They probably likely had little or no knowledge of the importance of having breakfast.

Campus culture and lifestyle.

The participants expressed that their peers, roommates, and friends had a big influence in the choice and arrangement of dietary intakes. Students, who regularly engage in sports and physical activities such as athletics, body building (i.e.—visit gymnasium), cycling, and playing football and cricket are inclined to consume food including vegetables and proteins. They believed that rice is the key source of carbohydrates which causes people to become overweight and were obsessed with diet; and therefore, they tried to keep it out of their diet. Instead, they tried to consume a diet containing proteins and iron. Eggs and chicken were reported to be the most common food items that were considered as a good source of protein that had a low cost. One student mentioned in the IDI:

“I go for sports in the afternoon on a regular basis and I know that my body loses a lot of energy. I try to energize by having more nutritious food. …rice contains very low nutrients that may result in gaining weight. But, an egg or a banana may have benefits with low costs.”

(First year male student)

However, the participants commonly reported that very few students engaged in regular physical exercises or sports. Those who do not get involved in sports seem negligent of the importance of consuming a nutritious diet and/or regular and timely meals.

Residency.

Students who are from a locality (near the university) frequently visited their homes in the weekend and had the opportunity to have a nutritious dietary intake. Some participants reported that students living in the residence halls where there were good cooking facilities were more likely to engage in cooking. In most cases, residence halls for female students had good cooking facilities such as gas burners (two burners on the ground floor) and electronic heaters, which motivated the students to cook. However, the senior students (fourth year/master students) were reported to enjoy these facilities more than the junior and/or new students. Besides, students from those residence halls where the vendors sold vegetables were reported to engage in cooking and consuming more fruits. One participant from IDI specified this:

“Usually vendors sell vegetables and fruits such as banana, water melon, pineapple, guava, and seasonal fruits near some halls. Those living in these halls have more opportunities to have lost of vegetables and fruits. …they are even motivated to try diverse dishes.”

(Fourth year male student)

Academic activities.

The participants reported that students tended to avoid cooking during and before exams. They spent a greater time preparing for exams. They consistently invested efforts and time till midnight to late night. During their study, students consumed more liquid and processed food such as tea, coffee, and snacks. Those who used to cook tended to avoid it due to the examination. Some of the participants reported that if they felt pressured due to the specific examination (e.g. semester final, tutorial, assignment), they avoided meals. Moreover, they were likely to irregularly consume meals. Due to exam pressures, students tended to have more processed foods as it was easily available and could be preserved in their rooms. One participant explained this situation in an FGD:

“Students invest a lot of effort in preparing for exams. Intensive study and exam pressure places them in a situation where they spend sleepless nights. During that time, they need extra calories that can energize them. Processed food is the best source that can provide some calories at midnight. …if you have some biscuits or bread or a banana, if can satisfy your need during the study. … and many of us do so.”

(Fourth year male student)

On the other hand, if students feel relieved of the exam pressure, they celebrated it by going to restaurants and/or arranging a little feast.