Sarhan Mohammed Mahmoud, Alotaibi Shihanah Eid, Alharbi Nuorah Awadh, Aljohani Shemaa Adel, Alnazzawi Yara Ahmad, Alwadi Maram Ali M
Department of Preventive Dental sciences, College of Dentistry, Taibah University, Al- Madinah Al- Munawwarah, 42353, Saudi Arabia.
College of Dentistry and Hospital, Taibah University, Al- Madinah Al- Munawwarah, 42353, Saudi Arabia.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Jul 7;25(1):2402. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-23624-0.
Fast food is being increasingly consumed in the modern world. This raises urgent questions about its impact on our health. There is a large body of research examining the factors contributing to fast food consumption but few studies have been conducted in Saudi Arabia among university students. Moreover, there is almost a total lack of qualitative studies in this area to explore the details and contexts of these factors. This study aims to address this gap by conducting a qualitative investigation into the factors associated with fast food consumption in the daily lives of Saudi college students.
The subjects of this qualitative study were 22 students from a university in Al Madinah Province, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Data was collected over 10 weeks through diary entries and semi-structured interviews, which were held virtually. Thematic analysis was then conducted on the data, with an inductive strategy used to identify emerging themes.
The factors previously found to contribute to fast food consumption, such as taste and convenience (time, effort, and money-saving qualities) were confirmed in this study. Moreover, the research found that the growing social narrative around fitness and health has led to a rise in the public's concerns about health, which, in turn, has prompted many people to think again about their consumption of fast food. This study also reveals the effect of culture on fast food consumption, illuminating interesting perspectives on the lack of this consumption in various ritual and cultural situations.
The results of this qualitative study reveal important findings about the contributing factors associated with fast food consumption among the under-researched study population of university students. The contributing factors identified are taste, convenience, health concerns, and cultural influences. By developing our understanding of these factors, such as the details of their contextuality and their impact on people's eating behaviors, we can develop more effective public health interventions. Both health practitioners and policymakers can then use this comprehensive understanding of these factors to create interventions that respond to people's cultural contexts and personal preferences, enhancing health outcomes for the public.
在现代社会，快餐的消费量日益增加。这引发了关于其对我们健康影响的紧迫问题。有大量研究探讨了导致快餐消费的因素，但在沙特阿拉伯的大学生中开展的研究较少。此外，该领域几乎完全缺乏定性研究来探究这些因素的细节和背景。本研究旨在通过对沙特大学生日常生活中与快餐消费相关的因素进行定性调查来填补这一空白。
这项定性研究的对象是来自沙特阿拉伯王国（KSA）麦地那省一所大学的22名学生。数据通过日记记录和半结构化访谈在10周内收集，访谈以虚拟方式进行。然后对数据进行主题分析，采用归纳策略来识别新出现的主题。
先前发现的导致快餐消费的因素，如口味和便利性（节省时间、精力和金钱的特质）在本研究中得到了证实。此外，研究发现围绕健身和健康的社会叙事日益增多，这导致公众对健康的关注度上升，进而促使许多人重新思考他们对快餐的消费。本研究还揭示了文化对快餐消费的影响，阐明了在各种仪式和文化情境中缺乏这种消费的有趣观点。
这项定性研究的结果揭示了关于在研究较少的大学生群体中与快餐消费相关的影响因素的重要发现。确定的影响因素有口味、便利性、健康担忧和文化影响。通过加深我们对这些因素的理解，比如它们的背景细节及其对人们饮食行为的影响，我们可以制定更有效的公共卫生干预措施。健康从业者和政策制定者随后都可以利用对这些因素的全面理解来制定应对人们文化背景和个人偏好的干预措施，从而改善公众的健康状况。
