MOBILE DIETARY APP APPLICATION FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Entering university marks a pivotal moment in the lives of young adults, as they assume full responsibility for their health and well-being. One aspect of this responsibility is maintaining healthy eating habits, which can be particularly challenging for students living on their own during their studies. Research has shown that insufficient and imbalanced nutrition can negatively impact academic performance by reducing attention span, perception, and cognitive function, as well as contributing to behavioural disorders and increased absenteeism (Kristo et al., 2020). In response to this issue, there has been a proliferation of nutrition apps available in the market. However, these apps are often geared towards Western diets and may not be suitable for students from non-Western countries (Vasiloglou et al., 2020). This creates limitations for students in terms of obtaining ingredients, budgeting for meals, and understanding healthy eating habits. To address these limitations, there is a need for a dietary mobile app specifically tailored to the needs and preferences of university students. This application should take into account the demographic of the student population, as well as their perceptions and expectations of healthy eating habits. To achieve this, research should be conducted to gather insight into the attitudes and behaviours of university students related to dietary health. The proposed dietary mobile app should be designed and developed to cater to the needs of university students without compromising on tackling the dietary challenges they face during their university years. This will provide students with a valuable tool to support their nutritional needs and encourage healthy eating habits that will ultimately lead to an enhanced academic performanc