Title:

Relationship Between Health-Related Biomarkers and Eating Competence

Objectives The primary objective was to examine differences in blood lipid and glucose levels between eating competent (EC) and non-EC (NEc) college adults. The secondary objective was to examine differences in skin carotenoids between EC and NEc college adults. Methods Data were collected between 2018-21 via the College Health and Nutrition Assessment survey, an ongoing cross-sectional study at a northeast, public university. Students, 18-24 years old, recruited from an introductory nutrition course provided data via an online questionnaire (Qualtrics) and comprehensive health assessment. Eating competence was measured via the validated ecSI 2.0 survey; scores ranged from 0-48 and EC was defined as ≥32. Skin carotenoids (Veggie Meter, VM) were measured in a subsample (n=976). Student scores reflect the dietary intake of yellow, orange, or red fruits and vegetables in the previous 2-4 weeks and could range from 0-800, plotted in relation to the college reference population. After stratifying by sex, mean differences between EC and non-EC students were evaluated via ANCOVA; covariates included smoking status, meals consumed at the dining hall, BMI, age, Pell Grant status, daily kcals, and weight loss goal. Fasting lipid and glucose values were categorized according to established cut-offs; proportional differences between EC and non-EC were evaluated via chi-square analyses. Results The final sample included 1043 students (63.6% females, 46.7% first years) after excluding those who failed to provide consent or relevant data. More than half of students (53.4%) were eating competent (45.6% of females vs. 57.6% of males). No differences in lipid and glucose values between EC and non-EC students were observed. In males, EC students were more likely than NEc to have "best” HDL-C levels (14.4% vs. 4.6%, p=0.039). The prevalence of dyslipidemia is higher in NEc students compared to the prevalence in EC students. In the subsample (n= 976), VM scores were higher in EC vs. non-EC students (307.8±97.6 vs. 274.9±84.7, p<0.001). Conclusions Further research should dive into possible associations between eating competence and VM scores to assess if skin carotenoids through intake of fruit and vegetables can be improved with increased eating competence scores. Additionally, research should begin to look at associations between dyslipidemia & hyperglycemia and eating competence in college students to see if improving eating competence can improve lipid and glucose biomarkers. Funding Source: New Hampshire Agriculture Experiment Station and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch Project 1010738

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