Evaluating the food consumption among Indonesian young adults lived in a different environment

Rany Adelina (Undergraduate Program in Applied Nutrition and Dietetics, Department of Nutrition, Poltekkes Kemenkes Malang)
Esti Nurwanti (Department of Nutrition, Universitas Alma Ata)
Rathi Paramastri (International PhD Program in School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University)
Carissa Cerdasari (Dietisien Professional Education Study Program, Department of Nutrition, Poltekkes Kemenkes Malang)
Jane C J Chao (School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University Master Program in Global Health and Development, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University Nutrition Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospita)

JURNAL GIZI INDONESIA
Vol 10, No 1 (2021): December

Background: Indonesian young adults who live abroad usually buy meals from café or catering. These meals tend to be less nutritious, including high fat, low fiber, and high carbohydrate.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the pattern of food consumption among young Indonesian adults who lived in a different environment.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out with 497 participants (73 men and 420 women). Data were collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) of 78 food groups. In addition, the Mann-Whitney U test was conducted to compare consumption patterns among study participants who lived in a different environment (Malang city, East Java, Indonesia, and Taipei City, Taiwan). Furthermore, the Chi-Square test and Fisher’s exact test analyzed the consumption level by gender.Results: Our study indicated no significant differences between food consumption of Indonesian young adults in Malang city, Indonesia, and Taipei City, Taiwan (p=0.623). Meanwhile, beverage (tea) was significantly different between gender in the home country (p=0.005). In contrast, participants who lived abroad showed significantly different consumption levels of fast food (instant noodle) and plant protein source (tofu) across gender (p=0.01 and p=0.02).Conclusion: The present study showed that fruits were often changed into juices, especially more frequent in a home country than abroad. Meanwhile, several food items, including beverages (tea), fast food, and plant protein source (tofu), showed significant differences across gender.