(P24-14-26) Workload, Time Use, & Meal Patterns in College-Aged Adults: A Pilot Study at Purdue University

Objectives: This pilot study examined how workload and daily time use patterns relate to meal regularity and food related behaviors in college-aged adults and explored behavioral pathways through which time scarcity may influence dietary outcomes.

Methods: College-aged adults (18–30 years) near Purdue University had the option to complete ASA 24, a 24-hour dietary recall. Furthermore, the participants completed two 24-hour Qualtrics time-use surveys representing a typical weekday and weekend day. Time allocation across academic work, employment, sedentary behavior, physical activity, and sleep was assessed alongside meal timing, frequency, and food preparation behaviors. Exploratory analyses evaluated associations between time demand profiles and eating patterns, emphasizing differences between high constraint (weekday) and lower constraint (weekend) environments.

Results: Preliminary findings suggest that greater workload and reduced discretionary time were associated with increased meal irregularity, reduced food preparation, and greater reliance on convenience-based foods. Lower-demand periods were characterized by improved meal structure and more consistent eating behaviors, supporting a time-sensitive behavioral model of dietary regulation.

Conclusions: These results identify time availability as a potential behavioral determinant of dietary patterns among college students and highlight time scarcity as a potential intervention target. Framing eating behaviors within a time use context provides a foundation for future precision nutrition research integrating objective dietary assessment, physiological biomarkers, and individualized behavioral strategies.

Funding Sources: OUR Scholars - Purdue University