Presenter: Tiantian Hao

Faculty Sponsor: Leda Cooks

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Public Health and Epidemiology

Session: Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM, 163, C9

ABSTRACT

Food not only provides basic nutritional needs but also carries strong social meaning. Among college students, shared meals are an important part of social life and may influence what, when, and how much students eat. More importantly, eating with peers can create a sense of connection and belonging, and at the same time, impact food selection, portion size, and eating speed due to social norms, peer pressure, and environmental impact. This study aims to examine whether eating with peers is associated with measurable health outcomes, including body mass index (BMI) and diet quality, among undergraduate students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst).

This study will use a cross-sectional design and collect data through an anonymous online survey distributed to UMass Amherst undergraduates. The exposure of interest is eating patterns, measured by the frequency of eating with peers compared to eating alone, meal duration, meal selection, and emotional experiences during meals. The outcome includes self-reported BMI and diet quality. Sociodemographic characteristics, personality type, and physical activity level will be collected to describe the sample and adjust for potential confounding. Descriptive statistics and multivariable linear regression models will be used to evaluate the associations.

The null hypothesis is that there is no association between eating with peers and measurable health outcomes. The alternative hypothesis is that an association exists. By examining the associations, this research aims to better understand the role of peer presence in shaping students’ eating behaviors and health outcomes.