Using Focus Groups to Develop a Nutrition Labeling Program within University Food Service

The objectives of this study were to collect data on the barriers to healthful eating among university students and to obtain student feedback regarding a proposed nutrition labeling program to promote healthy eating on campus. The location was a major university in the southwest. The Logic Model guided the development of focus group questions related to the barriers that university students face. To collect quantitative data regarding nutrition knowledge and health consciousness, a Nutrition Knowledge and Health Consciousness Scale (NKHCS) was used. After completing the scale, 30 students participated in four focus groups. Three themes emerged from the focus groups: the need for increased availability of healthy foods, the ability to sample healthy foods, and nutrition labeling of foods. This mixed method approach to the study provided both qualitative and quantitative data, and the results provided important insights from students regarding the development of university-based nutrition education programs.