title: Food consumption patterns of female undergraduate students in the United Arab Emirates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies on food intake in the UAE especially in relation to the student life are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate eating habits of undergraduate students.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 146 undergraduate students studying Physiology at Zayed University completed a semi-structured questionnaire. A student response was accepted for analysis only those weeks with adequate responses not more than six.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean student age was 19.28 (1.22) years with a minimum-maximum 18-23 years. The mean weight was 56.67(13.31) with a minimum-maximum of 40-89 kg. Of 1,250 United Arab Emirates Dirham; 10 indicated they worked but did not specify income; and three were married. More foods were consumed seven times in a week. Amongst the principal foods consumed were: bread, cereal, starch; white bread, cornflakes and rice; fruits-apple, banana and orange; vegetables -cucumber, tomato and lettuce; meat-fish, chicken and beef; and eggs and dairy-(milk, cheese and yoghurt).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dubai female undergraduates have a height intake of milk and fruits and less fanciful breads. Further studies should measure the exact quantity/mass of foods consumed per week.
authors.affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Natural Science and Public Health, Zayed University, P.O. Box 19282, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. rgcooperuk@yahoo.com
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Al-Alami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003611:Dairy Products; D004435:Eating; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014479:United Arab Emirates; D014495:Universities; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult