Jun, Ng Xue (2025) Investigating intrapersonal, interpersonal factors and correlated outcomes associated with picky eating behaviour among nutrition and dietetics undergraduate students at Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus. Project Report. Universiti Sains Malaysia. (Submitted)
![[img]](http://eprints.usm.my/style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png) |
PDF
- Submitted Version
Download (597kB) |
Abstract
Evidence suggests that picky eating exists among undergraduates in Malaysia and could be associated with poor mental health and nutritional status. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate intrapersonal factor (disgust sensitivity), interpersonal factors (parental pressure to eat and encouragement to eat), and correlated outcomes (psychological distress and body mass index) associated with picky eating behaviour among nutrition and dietetics undergraduate students at Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus. A total of 167 nutrition and dietetics undergraduates aged 21.19 ± 1.44 years (10.2% male and 89.8% female) participated in this study. The mean score of picky eating was 2.52 ± 0.62. The proportions of non-picky, moderate, and extreme picky eating behaviour were 23.4%, 52.7%, and 24.0%, respectively. The mean scores for disgust sensitivity, parental pressure to eat, and parental encouragement to eat were 9.54 ± 1.60, 3.33 ± 0.90, and 4.20 ± 0.65, respectively. For psychological distress, it had a mean score of 20.62 ± 7.12, where 25.7% of nutrition and dietetics undergraduates were found to have a mild level of psychological distress, 10.2% in a moderate level of psychological distress, and 13.2% in a severe level of psychological distress. The mean BMI was 21.41 ± 3.10 kg/m2. The proportion of underweight was 15%, while for overweight, obese class I and class II were 7.2%, 0.6%, and 0.6%, respectively. Disgust sensitivity was significantly predicted picky eating behaviour (Beta = 0.218, R= 0.264, R2 = 0.070; F (2, 164) = 6.145, p = 0.003). Picky eating was also positively related with psychological distress (Beta = 0.312, 95% CI: 1.905, 5.259, p < 0.001). Similarly, the study indicated a significantly positive relationship between picky eating behaviour and body mass index (Beta = 0.169, 95% CI: 0.087, 1.604, p = 0.029).
| Item Type: | Monograph (Project Report) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | picky eating |
| Subjects: | R Medicine R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine |
| Divisions: | Kampus Kesihatan (Health Campus) > Pusat Pengajian Sains Kesihatan (School of Health Sciences) > Monograph |
| Depositing User: | Mr Abdul Hadi Mohammad |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Jan 2026 03:32 |
| Last Modified: | 22 Feb 2026 07:04 |
| URI: | http://eprints.usm.my/id/eprint/63445 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
