Dietary Diversity among Students at Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis, Senegal, in 2026: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Dietary diversity is a key indicator of the nutritional adequacy of a diet. University students represent a population particularly vulnerable to nutritional imbalances during their transition to independence. The dietary habits of students at Gaston Berger University (UGB) remain poorly documented at the institutional level. Objective: To assess dietary diversity among UGB students in 2026. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study was conducted from February 1 to April 30, 2026 among 400 students selected by proportional stratified random sampling by academic department (UFR) and sex. Data were collected using an electronic questionnaire administered via Open Data Kit (ODK) and analyzed with JAMOVI. The individual dietary diversity score (DDS) was calculated using the FAO 24-hour dietary recall method across 13 food groups. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors independently associated with high dietary diversity. Results: The mean age of participants was 21.8 ± 2.6 years, with a near-equal sex distribution (51% male). The mean DDS was 7.1 ± 2.8 out of 13. Dietary diversity was low in 45.2% of students, moderate in 25.5%, and high in 29.2%. Cereals (85.8%), dairy products (81%), and meats (71%) were the most frequently consumed food groups, while dark green leafy vegetables (23%) and organ meats (23.8%) were the least represented. More than half of students (53.2%) subjectively perceived their diet as insufficiently diverse. In multivariate analysis, living with family (OR = 2.69; 95%CI [1.65 - 4.38]; p < 0.001), residing in the Ziguinchor region (OR = 2.79; 95%CI [1.00 - 7.77]; p = 0.05), and having access to a personal kitchen (OR = 1.68; 95%CI [1.02 - 2.76]; p = 0.04) were independently associated with high dietary diversity. Conclusion: The majority of UGB students exhibit insufficient dietary diversity. Family living arrangements and access to a personal kitchen emerged as protective determinants of dietary quality. These findings call for targeted interventions in nutritional education and improvement of the campus food environment.