Introduction

This research aims to investigate the food choices of students dining in the University of Washington cafeterias to help answer the design question of how we can help students make healthy eating choices when dining on campus?

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1.0 Research

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1.1 Secondary Research

The National College Health Risk Behavior Survey suggests that as many as 35% of college students may be overweight or obese (Lowry, 2000). Obesity is the influential factor of anthropometric and metabolic indicators(see Table 1 for details). Since all students at UW who live in dorms have to get a meal plan, they dine on campus often. To promote a healthier lifestyle, how to help students make healthy eating choices when dining on campus should be addressed. 

Lowry R, Galuska DA, Fulton JE, Wechsler H, Kann L, Collins JL: Physical activity, food choice, and weight management goals and practices among US college students. Am J Prev Med 18:18 –27, 2000

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1.2 Observation

This field study was conducted using the structured observation approach, where eight predetermined focus areas guided the observations recorded throughout the study. This approach was chosen because it provided a detailed and concrete method for data collection and analysis that addressed students' eating choices when dining on campus.

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1.3 Affinity Diagram

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1.4 Interview

Keys findings from the field study were that the menu is not nutrient balanced and cost-efficient. Based on the menu for Dub Street burger, it is not nutrient balanced since no healthy sides are provided.

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1.5 Thematic Mapping

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2.0 Survey

I found that students did not have enough breakfast and cost-efficient health food choices when dining in on campus from my fieldwork and interview. To learn more about this I conducted user surveys.

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2.1 Results & Recommendations

About 73.3% of participants think healthy food prices are expensive when dining on campus.
This result was derived by asking participants' opinions on healthy food prices at the UW cafeteria.
It is important to note that more than half of the participants choose expansive, which indicates that The price will significantly affect students' eating choices. Maybe lowering the cost of healthy food will encourage students to make healthier eating choices.

Based on this result, I recommend that more vegetables and fruits be added to the meal as sides choices that allow students to get cheaper greens and fruits.
Offer combo with vegetables and fruits in it. Also, HFS could Offer a combo with vegetables and fruits, which get students a nutrient-balanced meal.

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Most of the students do not know a lot about nutrient knowledge.
This result was derived by asking participants to rate their nutrient knowledge level to filter out whether nutrient knowledge is a factor that leads participants not to make healthy eating choices. Nobody is confident enough to mark 5. Most of the students may know some nutrient knowledge, but not professional. Overall this result implies that students have an average level of nutrient knowledge.

Based on this finding, I recommend that UW HFS(Housing and Food Services) add more nutrient guidelines on the TV.
Give students more advice in a professional way. Although calories are shown on TV as an influential factor for some participants, participants who know little about the nutrients need more detailed guidelines. To encourage students to make healthy eating choices when dining on campus, HFS can provide more information on the TV to advocate a healthy lifestyle. Students can ​​be imperceptibly influenced by what they constantly see and hear. These programs aim to raise students’ awareness about what a healthy diet looks like and encourage students to make healthy eating choices when dining on campus.

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None of the participants think UW cafeteria provides sufficient healthy eating choices.
This result was derived by looking at how many people think the school cafeteria does not provide enough healthy food choices. Students may get tired of school's healthy food choices and have junk food instead.

Based on this result, I recommend that HFS consider adding more food choices to the menu that offers more eating and drinking options to students, Toast, pancakes, tortillas, etc., for breakfast and consider purchasing an automatic juicer squeezer and coffee machine since Fresh juice contains many health-promoting nutrients.
HFS could Change the menu more often to make dining on campus more attractive to students

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2.2 Priority

Over the results, I present the following prioritization of my recommendations:

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3.0 Next Step

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3.1 Design Idea

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3.2 Reflection

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