Abstract:
Fast food has been revolutionized by
modernization and globalization, and Sri
Lankans, particularly young people with busy
schedules, embrace it for its convenience. This
could reduce their nutritional status and increase
their
risk of diet-related noncommunicable
diseases. This study aims to relate the factors that
influence the frequency of fast-food consumption
among undergraduates of the Faculty of
Agriculture, Eastern University, Sri Lanka
(EUSL). A structured questionnaire was used to
gather primary data from 100 randomly chosen
students in five batches at the EUSL Faculty of
Agriculture. The collected data were analyzed
using the SPSS software package. Descriptive
statistics were used to explain the study variables,
and a chi-square analysis was done to find out the
factors
influencing
fast-food
consumption
frequency. The results revealed that more than
half of the students (82%) were female from
various districts of Sri Lanka. When it came to
choosing fast food items, the majority of students
gave preference to taste. However, when it came
to the diversity of the menu, they gave preference
to taste when they consumed fast food on a weekly
basis. Almost half of the students consume fast
food 1-2 times per week. Additionally, the menu’s
variety and the time allotted for preparation,
tasting, and dining with loved ones affected how
frequently they consumed fast food each week. The
study reveals that most students prefer fast food
for snacks, which could be beneficial for
undergraduate health care and promote healthier
dietary choices.
