title: Changing Dietary Habits of Alberta Nutrition Students Enrolled in a Travel Study Program in Italy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study describes dietary changes among university students who completed a travel study program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen undergraduate nutrition students travelled from Edmonton to Italy for 6 weeks to take 2 courses on the Mediterranean diet. In both locations students completed a 24-h dietary recall and a Food Frequency Questionnaire to assess their Mediterranean Diet Quality Index Score (MDQIS). A MDQIS of 48 indicates perfect adherence to eating patterns of the Traditional Healthy Mediterranean Diet Pyramid (THMDP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  While in Italy students altered their diets in positive ways (increased consumption of fish and seafood (P = 0.002), wine (P < 0.0001), and olive oil (P = 0.001)) and negative ways (increased consumption of sweets (P = 0.027), poultry (P = 0.001), and meat (P = 0.049)) relative to the THMDP. Students had a significant increase in the percentage of energy from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids and alcohol. The MDQIS was low in Edmonton (21.9 ± 3.7) and Italy (22.9 ± 3.9).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall dietary pattern of students did not adhere to the THMDP. Education about the THMDP and living in Italy for 6 weeks was insufficient to change students' dietary patterns to one characterized as traditional Mediterranean. The findings highlight the challenges of implementing dietary changes even with nutrition education and increased food access.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strawson
authors.affiliation: a Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
authors.forename: Rhonda C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: b Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, Centre for Health Promotion Studies, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.affiliation: a Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
authors.forename: Shauna M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Downs
authors.affiliation: a Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
authors.forename: Dana L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Olstad
authors.affiliation: a Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
authors.forename: Noreen D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Willows
mesh_terms: D000416:Alberta; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D002149:Energy Intake; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008460:Meat; D011939:Mental Recall; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D000069463:Olive Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017747:Seafood; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014195:Travel; D014920:Wine; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D000069463:Olive Oil