2022 Volume 16 Issue 1 Pages 29-41
The study aimed to clarify the relationship between relative poverty, socioeconomic status, diet, and living conditions in university students. A total of 349 students living in five prefectures, mainly in western Japan, were included in the analysis. About half of the students either did not answer or did not want to answer questions regarding their household income. The students were categorized into three groups for analysis: low-income (below the poverty line), high-income (above the poverty line), and no response or refusal to answer groups. Additionally, binomial logistic regression analysis was performed, adjusting for sex, age, region of residence, and type of residence. Compared to the students in the high-income group, those in the low-income group were more often “refraining from or not able to obtain food due to economic reasons,” consumed “small fish” and “vegetables” less frequently and were more likely to look at their phones during meals. Therefore, our study suggested the impact of relative poverty and its effects on the diet and habits of students.
