Table 2.
Mean Dietary Guideline Index (DGI) score according to key characteristics of a sample of university students aged 18–36 years in Melbourne, Australia, 2011
| DGI score | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n* | % | Mean | se | Range | P value† | |
| Age (years) | ||||||
| 18–19 | 159 | 51·5 | 94·1 | 1·37 | 53·5–123·7 | 0·93 |
| 20–21 | 91 | 29·4 | 92·0 | 1·76 | 52·0–124·0 | |
| 22–23 | 25 | 8·1 | 93·3 | 3·49 | 56·0–123·3 | |
| 24–25 | 13 | 4·2 | 93·4 | 4·21 | 72·7–118·1 | |
| 26–36 | 21 | 6·8 | 93·7 | 4·18 | 51·9–127·4 | |
| Sex | ||||||
| Male | 58 | 19·5 | 93·1 | 2·45 | 52·0–123·3 | 0·51‡ |
| Female | 239 | 80·5 | 94·8 | 1·02 | 54·8–127·4 | |
| BMI | ||||||
| Underweight (BMI <18·5 kg/m2) | 19 | 6·5 | 87·1 | 4·90 | 56·9–127·4 | 0·25 |
| Normal weight (BMI ≥ 18·5 to <25·0 kg/m2) | 226 | 77·7 | 93·4 | 1·16 | 52·0–124·0 | |
| Overweight/obese (BMI ≥ 25·0 kg/m2) | 46 | 15·8 | 94·8 | 2·18 | 63·4–120·4 | |
| Nationality | ||||||
| Australian | 250 | 84·2 | 94·2 | 1·07 | 51·9–124·0 | 0·02 |
| Chinese | 15 | 5·1 | 82·5 | 3·93 | 62·7–120·8 | |
| Other Asian | 14 | 4·7 | 94·9 | 4·81 | 57·7–121·9 | |
| Other | 18 | 6·0 | 86·6 | 4·12 | 56·5–127·4 | |
| Mother's highest education | ||||||
| High school or less | 111 | 37·9 | 91·1 | 18·3 | 53·5–124·0 | 0·26 |
| Trade or certificate | 68 | 23·2 | 94·4 | 15·8 | 51·9–123·7 | |
| Tertiary | 114 | 38·9 | 94·5 | 16·7 | 52·0–127·4 | |
| Living arrangements | ||||||
| Parents | 177 | 57·5 | 93·7 | 17·8 | 52·0–124·0 | 0·67 |
| Flatmates | 92 | 29·9 | 92·2 | 16·5 | 56·5–120·8 | |
| Partner or spouse | 26 | 8·4 | 92·4 | 13·2 | 62·7–117·5 | |
| On own | 13 | 4·2 | 98·1 | 20·2 | 72·6–127·4 | |
| Study and work commitments | ||||||
| Study part time & work full time | 8 | 2·6 | 89·7 | 22·2 | 56·0–117·5 | 0·71 |
| Study part time & work part time | 15 | 4·9 | 97·5 | 16·7 | 70·9–118·4 | |
| Study full time & work part time | 214 | 69·7 | 93·5 | 16·7 | 53·5–124·0 | |
| Study full time with no work | 70 | 22·8 | 92·6 | 18·1 | 51·9–127·4 | |
*Total n varies between measures due to missing responses.
†One-way ANOVA, except as indicated.
‡t Test.