RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 New Tools for Health: COMUNI Questionnaire to Measure Dietary Quality of University Menus
A1 de Mateo Silleras, Beatriz
A1 Carreño Enciso, Laura
A1 de la Cruz Marcos, Sandra
A1 Quinto Fernández, Emiliano
A1 Redondo del Río, Paz
AB Background/Objectives: The university stage is a critical period for consolidating dietary habits that influence future health. University canteens therefore play a key role in providing menus aligned with nutritional recommendations. As menu composition shapes students' access to healthy food, its evaluation also has equity implications. This study aimed to apply a newly designed questionnaire-the COMUNI questionnaire-intended to provide a rapid, user-friendly, and transferable method for evaluating the dietary quality of lunch menus offered in university canteens. Methods: Two versions of the 13-item COMUNI questionnaire were developed: COMUNI-1 for single-option menus and COMUNI-2 for menus offering multiple first- and second-course choices. The tool evaluates the frequency of key food groups, the availability of water and wholegrain bread, and the variety of foods and culinary techniques. To test the questionnaire, it was applied to 34 menu templates from university residences, colleges, and cafeterias. Results: 85.3% of menus showed deficient dietary quality, and 14.7% were rated as improvable; none achieved an optimal score. Menus managed by catering companies obtained significantly higher scores than those under direct management. Most frequently shortcomings included insufficient offerings of vegetables, legumes, fish, and wholegrain bread, alongside a frequent presence of refined carbohydrate sources and fried or ultra-processed foods. Conclusions: Universities should incorporate adherence to dietary recommendations as a key criterion in food-service procurement. The COMUNI questionnaire provides a simple and operational tool for assessing menu quality, supporting both diagnosis and monitoring of university food-service, once formally validated. Its use may also help identify structural disparities in access to healthy foods across campus settings, supporting more equitable food-service policies.
PB MDPI
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/83309
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/83309
LA spa
NO de Mateo Silleras, B., Carreño Enciso, L., de la Cruz Marcos, S., Quinto Fernández, E., & Redondo Del Río, P. (2025). New Tools for Health: COMUNI Questionnaire to Measure Dietary Quality of University Menus. Nutrients, 17(24), 3873. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17243873
DS UVaDOC
RD 03-mar-2026