Introduction:

University students find themselves in a concerning situation in relation to suffering from excess malnutrition caused by different factors such as socio-economic, cultural, political, among others, which considerably affect this population.

Objective:

To understand the perception of nutrition and consumption patterns of nursing students.

Methodology:

Qualitative phenomenological research. The sample was by convenience and theoretical saturation. Nine open individual interviews were conducted with students, audio-recorded, following a thematic guide, then the information was processed by means of thematic grouping.

Results:

While one of the categories showed the opinion that healthy eating consists of a balanced diet, another category reflected the view that healthy eating is that of sick people. In addition, some categories took into account the family economic situation, that is, the money allocated to the purchase and preparation of food for consumption in the students' homes.

Conclusion:

Nursing students perceive healthy foods as those that favor good health. When faced with the selection of foods, they recognized economic limitations, scarce time, taste or preference and, in addition, few options for selecting and acquiring healthy foods on the university campus. When it comes to choosing, they opt for the cheapest foods, which they point out as unhealthy.

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