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Food and Nutrition Related Issues of University Students: A Sociological Analysis

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 Food and Nutrition Related Issues of University Students: A Sociological Analysis

By

Dr. M A N Rasanjalee Perera

Senior Lecturer
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
rasanjalee@hotmail.com
rasanjalee@sjp.ac.lk

Abstract
Issues related to food and nutrition is a common phenomenon among university students
throughout the world due to particular food behaviors, socio-economic and cultural reasons. It
seems that the “lack of food” exists as a basic problem while “food related issues” are converting
it more complex. In this context, this study attempts to analyze the university students’ food and
nutrition related issues from sociological point of view.

An empirical study was conducted at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 2007/2008 using
randomly selected 1000 students enrolled in all faculties. Literature review, questionnaire survey,
group discussions, in-depth interviews, and experts’ interviews were used as data collection
techniques. SPSS software was used for data tabulation and to facilitate for descriptive analysis.

Study found that food is a highly significant issue among the university students in its basic
shape while it associates some severe consequences. This is crucial among the students staying
in university hostels particularly those who are in Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences
and Management. The considerable fact is that many students cannot take sufficient food for
three meals per day and some of them have to limit their meals into two by totally depending on
university canteens where they cannot buy quality and palatable meals. Other notable fact is that
a higher number of students come to the university without breakfast. It is also revealed that
more girls are suffering from malnutrition related issues than boys. Study further found that these
issues compel students to go home frequently breaking the continuation of studies.

Key words: university students, food and nutrition, food behavior, socio- economic factors,

Introduction
As Dammapadaya (No date) emphasizes “Sabbe Saththa Aharanthi”. The meaning of that Pali
tenet is “Everybody depends on food”. Generally a person should take three main meals per day
with wholesome and well balanced portion of food in required amount of calories. Human beings
need more food during their young age than the others in various stages of the life cycle as they
grow fast and waste more energy physically as well as mentally. University students who are the
spirit of youth and the future leaders of the society should be strong physically as well as
mentally. Therefore, it is necessary to make attention on the food and nutrition aspects of
students in order to achieve expected higher educational goals of the country.

1
Under the motivation theory, Maslow highlights five needs such as physiological, safety, social/
belongingness, self esteem and self actualization (Arnold and Feldman, 1986). In addition, he
placed the needs from the lowest level to the highest self actualization and shows how each need
ought to be met before the next higher need. Further he emphasizes that lowest level of needs
(physical needs) are highly important because without fulfilling them an individual cannot go
ahead. Table No: 001 what are the basic needs and how they help to be a person with well
developed personality.

Table No: 01 Need Hierarchy

Need Level Description Examples
Self- Realize one’s Use abilities
Actualization full potential to the fullest
Esteem Feel good Higher Grades &
about oneself recognition
Belongingness Social Interpersonal
interaction, love relations, parties
Safety Security, stability Security,
attention
Physiological needs Food, water, Basic physical needs
shelter
Source: Arnold and Feldman (1986)

According to Maslow, all human beings have certain basic needs- food, shelter, love and
affection, respect, trust and attention. If basic needs are not fulfilled, children may exhibit
disruptive behavior. For example, if children come to school in hunger or lacking affection at
home, they are more likely to be disruptive in school (Ballantine, 1997: 47). The other hand,
when children go to classes in hunger and fatigue, they are unable to concentrate on subject
matters until they meet their physical needs such as food and sleep (Perera, 2008; 04). That
means without fulfilling basic needs individuals do not motivate to reach next higher levels.

Rathnapala (2001) states a higher number of Sri Lankan university students are included to low
income group. Particularly students who belong to faculty of Arts hail from rural families (De
Silva, 1977, Hettige, 1995: 20; Kumaradasa, 1995: 30; Senadeera, 1999). Such students don’t
have sufficient economic strength to fulfill their basic needs and wants within the university
career. They can’t afford the cost of living. Even if majority of students are given some financial
assistance such as ‘Mahapola Scholarship’ and ‘Bursaries’, is not enough to cover their basic
expenses. If such students unable to get university hostel facilities, they have to stay outside
boarding places with paying more than university hostel. However, because of the economic
difficulties they cannot afford high cost for accommodation. Therefore they try to find out low
cost boarding houses which are mostly with lack of facilities, their life at those places are not
comfortable (Obesekara, 1992, Rathnapala, 2001: 03).

Rathnapala (2001: 3-5) identifies “poverty” as the root cause for the unrest and other various
problems of university students. Hettige, (1995: 20) also agree with Rathnapala and states that

2
poverty and social marginalization negatively affect on the lives of many students personalities.
Without help to develop self confidence and self esteem of the university students it is not easy
to develop their personalities. Meanwhile, Perera (2001: 11) indicates economic difficulties in
the country definitely affected to the university communities and caused to create unrest.
University students’ unrest is a great issue. Ariyawansa, (1998: 103) says that it is not easy to
solve these problems only through the education system as it is clearly a social issue.

Theoretically, for a healthy physical and mental life, people need nutritious and well balanced
meals. However, when considering university students situation, as adult students they need
higher percentage of calorie. For that, they should have the opportunity to have nutritious food at
an affordable price. However, majority of students cannot take enough food for three meals per
day (Rathnapala, 2001: 3-5). Marasinghe (1992, 02) states,

“Even though meals are provided by university canteens that leased out to private
caterers with many subsidies given by the university, the quality of the meals
provided by those canteens is below average”.

The majority of students who accommodated at university hostels are included to low income
families. The other hand ‘belongs to low income family’ is one of the necessary requirements to
have hostel facilities. Majority of these students cannot take wholesome food with good quality
and quantity because of financial difficulties they are facing. Rathnapala (2001: 3-5) emphasised
that students who don’t have proper accommodation and enough diet they have to face numerous
other problems as well. Basically it may cause for various physical problems such as some
diseases like gastritis, body weaknesses, laziness, feeling of sleep, weaknesses in eyes and also
may create psychological disorders (Perera, 2008). Consequences of all those may affect
negatively on their education as less concentration, negligence of academic work and low
achievements in education.

Among various problems of university students, economic condition which directly relate to the
economic background of the family is more crucial. As many researchers pointed out, vast
majority of undergraduates in Sri Lanka hailed from under privileged backgrounds (De Silva,
1977, Hettige, 1992, Rathnapala, 2001, Senadeera, 1999). Particularly many of them included to
Faculties of Arts (De Silva, 1977, Rathnapala, 2001, Senadeera, 1999, Wakkumbura). Such
students don’t have sufficient economic strength to fulfill necessary needs and wants within the
university career. They can’t afford the cost of living. If they have financial assistance through
“Mahapola Scholarship” or “Bursary, it is not sufficient to fulfill their socioeconomic needs.

Jayarathna Report on higher education (1971) shows that economic status of family highly
affects on students’, Highlighting the figures of the family income of university students in
1967, the report indicates that, 55% of students had less than 200/= per month and out of that
85% were students of Arts faculty. De Silva’s (1977) findings also prove that students of Arts
faculty mostly suffering from economic difficulties and as consequences of that they have to face
many other social and psychological problems as well.

“These students had to start with financial problems and problems of adjustment to
a different way of life… Lack of suitable accommodation imposed an extra heavy

3
 burden on the students from the village. Even if many students come to the
university with high aspirations, from the moment they enter to the university they
face disillusionment and frustration. Anxiety regarding money matters; contrast
with an apparently affluent society around them etc affect negatively on their
studies” (De Silva, 1977: 216).

However, economic difficulties of university students are not common only in the developing
countries but also among the developed countries. Even though at present majority of Sri Lankan
university students receive scholarship or bursary with free education, a higher number of
overseas students have to pay for their education as well as other expenses by themselves.

Based on findings of England university students economic difficulties, Hutt (1970: 42) pointed
out that 2/3rd of undergraduates have to do partly dependent on their parents for the means of
living. He further says,

“The upper middle class undergraduates of the past had economic dependence until
their early adulthood and it was accepted as a rule. But the working class
undergraduates are more or less economically independence by age 16 and
contributing to the family budget. It is significant that in a group of working class
and lower middle class students, 25% to , 30% contributed to their families by part of
their holiday earnings”.

Even after several decades the situation of majority of Sri Lankan university students has not
been changed. Some undergraduates feel uncomfortable aware of the sacrifice their families
make. They have the conscience because they are in the process of becoming emancipated from
the family and find it all the more galling. Such feelings motivate students to involve in
economic activities. However, compared to western countries students of some Asian countries
do not practice part time job concept. Less job opportunities, no part time job culture, employers’
attitudes on students etc negatively affect on minimize the rate of economically active students’
percentage. Therefore students have to suffer deprivation of their physical, social and
psychological needs while suffering from the inability to help their family members’ economic
needs as a result of economic difficulties

Methodology
This study attempts to explore university students’ issues relating to food and nutrition,
empirically and descriptively by using a sample from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Study population consists with full time internal students of the University. For the sample, 1000
students in the third year (as 400 from Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, 300 from
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, 150 from Faculty of Science and 150 from Faculty of
Medicine) were randomly selected proportionately to the students enrolled in each faculty.

Both qualitative and quantitative data via primary and secondary sources were collected.
Literacy sources as books, periodicals, research articles, news papers, websites and records of the
relevant institutions etc were used for the secondary data. Questionnaire survey, group
discussions, in-depth interviews, and experts’ interviews were used as primary data collection
techniques. Information gathered through such discussions was also incorporated in some

4
relevant areas of the analysis. Collected data were tabulated into tables and charts according to
the necessity to trace distinguished set objectives. For the tabulation of data it was used SPSS
software. Secondly, by synthesizing and analyzing gathered data and theory, critical discussions
were made to reach the objectives of the study.

Findings and discussion

Figure No: 02- Students’ Satisfaction on Food

Students' Satisfaction on Food

60

50
% of Students

40

30

20

10

0
No Reply V. Good Good Fair Bad V. Bad

Arts Management science Medicine

Table No: 01- Students Satisfaction on their Food

Faculty
Food Arts Management Science Medicine
% % % %
No Reply 1.3 2.9 5.4 3.0
V. Good 9.4 31.4 48.7 51.6
Good 12.7 16.3 10.8 12.1
Fair 23.4 23.0 16.2 24.2
Bad 30.4 15.1 13.5 6.1
V. Bad 22.8 11.3 5.4 3.0
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: Survey data 2007/8

The data in the above table and the figure clearly indicate that the food is a major problem for
many students. It is severe among the students who are staying in the university hostels
particularly in Arts and Management Faculties. More than 1/2 (50%) of Arts students and 1/4th

5
(26%) of Management students said that their food is bad or very bad. However, when compared
this situation with Medical students they are in good condition as only 9% of them reported their
food is bad or very bad while Science students face this issue more than double to Medical
students as 18.6%. The other remarkable factor is around 60% of students in Medical as well as
Science faculties say that their food is good or very good. The main reasons behind that are the
majority of these students are staying at their own homes and others are residing at private
boarding places where food and other necessary facilities are supplied in good conditions.

However, for this type of boarding places, students have to pay higher amounts of fee. As
“nutritious and delicious food” are expensive, students who have economic difficulties cannot
afford the cost. Therefore the possible option for accommodation of these students is the
university hostel or cheap private boarding places with minimum or less than minimum facilities.

Further, facilities are not available to prepare food in many private boarding places and cooking
is prohibited in the university hostels. Therefore, all students have to buy their food from the
hostel canteen or other canteens available within the university premises or outside. Many
restaurants with varieties of food are available at close proximity of the university. Except that,
there are number of “rice packet vendors” along the main road of the university. Food packets
are available at the prices ranging from Rs. 60/=, 70/=, 80/= to more than 200 /=. The problem is
money. However, the students who can afford the cost take their meals from outside. Some
respondents said that they only bought canteen food during the ragging period as they cannot go
out frequently in those days and also surrounding environment is not familiar to them.
Thereafter, they never bought canteen food.

Girls have particular habits in economizing the cost of food. Some are used to buy a packet of
rice from outside and share with a colleague. There are agreed room-mates who regularly buy
outside food packet and content by sharing though it is not enough in quantity. This way, more
girls find somewhat delicious food and reduce their daily expenditure on food. However,
students who have severe economic difficulties don’t tend to buy outside food even in sharing
with a colleague. Meanwhile some of these students rarely buy outside meals, particularly at the
day they receive the monthly installment of Mahapola Scholarship or bursary. Even for that day,
they are organized as couples for a packet of food to share the cost. However, they stated that it
is not difficult to find another one to share outside meal packet as students prefer it and it is an
opportunity for them to have a delicious food compared to the canteen rice though the quantity is
not enough.

Students can live with the minimum expenses if they are residing in the university hostel.
According to the tender procedures of the university, canteens should supply food and tea at the
concessionary rates given by the university. Generally these prices are very low compared to the
outside. Canteen owners do not want to pay for water, electricity, cooking utensils, plates,
glasses and refrigerators etc. as all such items are supplied by the university and canteen owners
should provide only food items. At the time of the data collection, prices of tea and main meals
at the university and hostel canteens are as follows;

6
  Plain tea – Rs 3/=
(*Students revealed that tea with milk is not available at students’ canteens due to high
cost of milk powder)
 Breakfast - Rs 20/=
Rice with dhal and coconut sambol, milk rice, bread with dhal, noodles, and boiled-green
grams or chick peas etc. are usually available.
 Lunch - Rs25/=
A packet of rice with two vegetables, green leaves and a half of an egg or small fish like
salaya or a small piece of herrings.
 Dinner - Rs 25/=
Menu is the same as the lunch.

Even though they can buy food and tea for an affordable price, many students say such food
are in below to the standard quality. Marasinghe’s findings (1992: 02) also similar to this
study as he indicates, quality of the meals provided by the canteens is below to the average.
Main issues pointed out by the students relating to the food and tea provided by hostels and
other university canteens are;
 Unclean food, waiters and surrounding area
 Less varieties of food.
 No tasty food.
 Feeling of awful sense of food.
 Some times canteens provide the remnant food or stale food prepared in the previous
day.
 Foods are in inedible conditions.
 Quantity of a plate of rice and portion of curries are not enough.
 Canteen food is a frequently cause for some health problems such as nausea,
vomiting, loose motion etc.
 No food for late comers.
 Canteens are closed on Poya days and on some holidays.

The quality of girl’s hostel canteen food is poorer than food in boy’s hostel canteens because
generally female students do not make protests against canteen operators regarding quality of
food. Students revealed that even if female students complain or make requests, canteen
operators do not care. This is, in fact, a hidden situation of food issue with regard to the female
students of the university. In case of males’ canteens, students take frequent actions against them
and protest collectively. As a result, generally foods in boy’s canteens are slightly better than
food in girl’s canteens.

Further, boys are used to get additional food at the cost of Rs.3/=. It’s called ‘aduwa’ in the
language of the university sub culture. In that way, they can get some additional rice with a
single curry without fish or meat. However, the request for “aduwa” is allowed only to those
who consumed a fresh plate of meal and consumed in the canteen. Once the first plate of food is
consumed, he can request for an additional food producing the same plate, which is not washed.
Students revealed that some poorer students (boys) are used to obtain only the “aduwa” using
someone’s unwashed plate without knowing to the canteen operator. Generally it is practiced to
ask “aduwa” producing the empty and unwashed plate only just the once. If a student tries to be

7
satisfied his hunger practicing it once; it is not enough at all. Therefore, some students have to
practice it more than once to get enough food quantity by producing at least two additional food
plates. However, this is not very common practice and female students do not practice at all.
Meanwhile it is noteworthy to mention that, many students don’t think about the nutritious value
of food. Instead, they concern little about the quantity of the food because if they don’t feel
hungry for a long time they can save money without paying for another meal or short eats.

The above mentioned hidden aspect of food issue in boy’s canteens is a very pathetic situation.
Perhaps young students may do this for a fun. Some may do this due to their real economic
hardships. It may be a feature of the so-called sub-culture. Whatever the reason, students learn to
do a very bad deed. It is a cheating and a theft, which is hated by morally established society.
Hence, this is harmful in producing decent and educated person with developed personality for
the well-being of the society. Therefore, it is a question whether the students who practice such
bad habits willingly or unwillingly be able to become society friendly leaders, rulers and
administrators of the country in near future.

The amount of financial aids granted to students by the university is not enough at all even to
cover the cost of food. For example, if they spend Rs. 100/= per day for their meals they can use
it only for 25 days. How can they live on the other 5 or 6 days of the month? The other hand,
food is only one need and there are many other necessities for a normal life. Cost of stationeries,
medicines, field trips, assignments, attending on social events like funerals of their colleagues or
relatives and traveling etc. are fundamentals for these students.

However, some respondents who cannot get any financial assistance from their homes due to
poverty, revealed that they struggle to depend totally on the Mahapola or Bursary for their food
needs and such students spend less than Rs70/= per a day, which is the truth but unbelievable.
However, they are doing it with great difficulties mostly by ignoring one main meal per a day.
Some of these students have totally given up consuming tea with milk and some have limited to
a single plain-tea in a day. These students do not spend on any additional food at all and also
don’t buy outside food as those are expensive. For three meals from the canteens, such students
spend only Rs.70/= per a day. One who neglect a meal can reduce about Rs.20/= or 25/= per day.
Accordingly Rs.50/= or Rs.45/= is the minimum amount of cost a student spend for food per a
day. Such students are not only capable to spent money to buy delicious and quality food in
enough quantities from restaurants but also have to limit their meals into two by totally
depending on university canteens.

Table No:02- Satisfaction of University Canteen

Faculty Satisfaction over the University Canteens
No Reply Highly Satisfied Less No Not at All Total (%)
Arts 1.9 5.7 6.3 22.8 25.3 38.0 100.0
Management 7.9 7.9 5.0 27.3 25.5 26.4 100.0
Science 5.4 10.8 0.0 16.2 24.3 43.3 100.0
Medicine 0.0 6.0 15.2 24.2 39.4 15.2 100.0
Source: Survey data 2007/8

8
The above table presents the responses of the students’ level of satisfaction over the meals in the
university canteens. Out of the total respondents more than 60% of Arts and Science students and
over 50% of Medical and Management students revealed that they are not satisfied about the
canteen facilities. None of the Science students, only 5% to 6% of Arts and Management
students, and about 15% of Medical students revealed that they are satisfied with canteen
facilities. However, it is found after the discussions that almost all these students do not depend
fully on canteen food. They consume canteen food occasionally as they are traveling from homes
or living in better private boarding places. Therefore, they use the canteens only to consume tea
and short-eats and mostly do not have problems with main food needs. The others particularly
students with higher economic difficulties have to depend totally on canteen food as it is cheaper
than outside food. However, their responses are negative on canteen facilities. This situation is
illustrated clearly in the following bar chart.

Figure No: 03- Students’ Satisfaction over the University Canteen

Students' Satisfaction over the University Canteens

50
45
40
% of Students

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
No Reply Highly Satisfied Less No Not at All

Satisfaction over the University Canteens

Arts Management Science Medicine

Similar to Rathnapala (2001: 3-5) this study also found that many students cannot take enough
food for three meals per day. Further it could identify that students who have severe economic
problems are used to limit two meals per day. Generally a higher number of students forget their
bed tea. (Preparing tea is not prohibited in the hostels). Instead of that, many of them come to the
university without the breakfast and they wait until the lunch. Meanwhile some students
consume only tea for the breakfast. Some take breakfast around 10-11 in the morning. By means
of that strategy, they try to ignore their lunch. Further, some female students depend totally only
on a cup of milk for the dinner as there are some female students who have facilities to prepare
tea when they need. However, no male student is found by this study who prepares tea within the
hostels or boarding places. In addition, during the days when canteens are closed students have
to go out for their meals. However, a few female students with economic hardships used to
depend on Samaposa per a meal on such days. (Samaposha is a kind of flour made by wheat,

9
Soya beans and green grams. It is considered as a nutritious food and granted for the children as
an additional food).

BOX 01- Statements of Students in their own words

“Canteen foods are very bad. Can’t eat”

“Plain tea is the common drink among the students and it costs Rs 3/= at the canteen.
For the thirst as well as hunger and also when we feel sleepy we prefer to have a
plain tea. However, mostly it didn’t fulfill our need of a tea because it is not tasty at
all. No sugar and sufficient tealeaves and not in warm enough. Earlier there was milk
tea at
BOX 02Rs. 5/=. Now canteen
- Statements people
of Students indon’t
their sell
ownmilk tea. They say that there is no profit
words
from milk tea as milk powder is expensive. But if we want a cup of milk tea then we
can get paying Rs. 10/= with a small milk powder packet which costs Rs. 12/=.
Together we have to pay Rs. 22/= per a milk tea. Therefore, we don’t consume milk
tea at all”.

BOX 02 - Statements of Students in their own words

“No different menu. Every day we eat rice, dhal, one vegetable mostly cabbage,
brinjal, radish or a similar vegetable with a half of an egg or a small fish like salaya
or a small piece of Hurulla (herring)”.

“We never eat green leaves which are in packet of rice. They do not wash vegetables
and rice properly. Bad smell emit out from rice is a general experience”.

“Sometimes we find maggots, ants, flies and parts of some insects such as
cockroaches with food”.

BOX 03 - Statements of Students in their own words

“Our early days of university, it was very difficult to eat the rice packets. But by now
it is familiar otherwise we don’t have better options than this as we don’t have enough
money”. But none of the female students who have money buy canteen rice packets.

“Generally male students do not worry about the cleanliness of food as female
students do. However they have little concern about the tasty but it is also less
compared to the female students. Male students first think about the price of the
meals. Therefore, majority of male students who have economic difficulties tend to
buy meals from the university canteens. Sharing a packet of rice bought from the
outside is not a common practice among the male students as half of the rice packet is
not enough for a male student.

Another important fact found here is, because of the food problem, many students are used to go
home during weekends. However, this is not followed by the Medical students at all as they are

10
very busy with their studies and need to attend regularly theory and practical classes. Students of
Science faculty also have less opportunity to practice this even though they are not as busy as
Medical students. However, compared with the other two faculties, Science students also have
more academic work in both practical and theory classes. Except this, the other students whose
residences are beyond more than 100kms from the university, do not go homes frequently
because of the distance, fatigue and the traveling expenses.

As food and accommodation issues compel students to go home every weekend, it generates
some additional issues. Specially, time and the fatigue of traveling reduce the time for studies.
Such students are frequently compelled to change their mentality from university environment to
home environment. Therefore, it breaks their concentration on studies. They have to sacrifice
their time on family affaires more than other students. These weekend home visitors tend to
avoid the Friday whole lectures or evening lectures and Monday whole lectures or morning
lectures too. Likewise these students gradually tend to avoid whole four days from studies. Also,
as they are psychologically more attached to home environment, the rest of three days when they
are in the university, they do not mentally fit with the university environment, which is needed to
have full benefit of the university education. According to these students, the main reason of the
stay at home even during the academic period of the university is to reduce their cost of meals at
hostels. The students explained why they go home in every weekend as it is indicated in the
following box.

Box 04: Reasons for why they go home frequently

“We have to stay at hostels mostly half in hunger or sometimes fully in hunger. Even if
we buy food it is not in an edible condition. No tasty at all. Actually we frequently go
to our homes because of the food problem”.

“We generally calculate the difference of the cost we have to bear for the food needs
during the weekend. We know it is tiresome and sometimes we have to face a lot of
disadvantages too. During the next week we want to come back but we feel that it is
better to stay at home rather than going to the university, then at least we can have a
palatable meal”.

Reduction of the time spent at the university particularly as fulltime students is not a good sign in
any angle. University students’ education cannot be limited only to the lectures and for limited
numbers of hours. They have to find more knowledge and update the new knowledge by using
other sources such as books, magazines, research reports, statistics, internet etc. Without
gathering knowledge as far as possible, they can’t be competent and quality graduates. Students
need to develop necessary skills and favorable attitudes as well. Otherwise, students cannot think
broadly and logically which is highly concerned by the employers (Ariyawansa and Perera,
2006). These students face many problems as explained in the figure below.

11
Figure No:03- Consequences of Going Home Frequently

Do not involve in extra Less or non-use of

curricular activities and Do not attend to library
group work which are the lectures / Less time spending for
highly helpful to practical classes academic work
improve personality and regularly Don’t submit
social relationships assignments on time

Do not
improve and Less time or no
Frequently time to
update the
required going improve IT
knowledge home skills, language
skills

Can not follow other

Cannot perform well in
their examinations and
assignments because of
less capability they have
as a result of less time
allocation for the studies
professional courses or
additional courses
Feel less interest directly or indirectly
at university related to the degree
environment program and help to
improve their
qualifications

Finally all the above facts negatively affect on students academic, social and personal
achievements.

The government of Sri Lanka spends a huge amount of money for university education in
providing necessary facilities for better higher educational achievements with a view to produce
competent graduates. Therefore, staying at home for a long period of the academic life just
because of some inconvenience is a misuse of national wealth which they receive as the
university students. The other hand, students selected to the universities from the highly
competitive A/L examination while many other talented students have to give up the chance of
university entrance by one, two or a few marks. Therefore, misuse of studentship of the
university is further a morally undue as they are misusing the opportunity of another one. Some
students accept it as an unethical and damage to the whole society. This study realized it is a
dilemma as they have no option.

According to the Marslow’s theory of need, without fulfilling the basic needs such as food, drink
and shelter, it is not easy to achieve higher level of needs (Arnold and Feldman, 1986). As the
need theory emphasizes the lowest level of needs (physical needs) are highly important. As

12
mentioned earlier, it is essential to have sufficient meals with well balanced diets during the
young age as they need more physical and mental energy. University students are particular, as
they should struggle with huge work load in achieving educational goals. Through the “need
theory” Ballantine, (1997:47) pointed out school students’ behavior as “If children come to
school in hunger or lacking affection at home, they are more like to be disruptive in school”.

Ballantine’s statement can be equally accepted in case of university students as well.

Particularly, Arts and Management students behave more disruptively in Sri Lankan universities
(Gunathilake and colleagues, 2006; Senadeera, 1999). Recent evidences emerged in the
University of Sri Jayewardenepura by killing two students within the university premises
because of students’ violence and disruptive behavior (Gunathilake and colleagues, 2006). When
considering the above facts, it seems that Arts and Management students comparatively more
disruptive while it is rare among Medical students in Sri Lankan universities.

Compared with other faculties, Arts and Management students have more free time as mostly
they are following courses, which have no practical components. The other hand, majority of
such students is included to low income families and have to suffer economic problems. Amidst
the economic hardships they cannot fulfill their basic physiological needs such as food and
shelter etc. Accordingly without having the most basic needs sufficiently how can students
concentrate properly on their education and reach higher achievements. Within this context, it
can be argued that it is difficult to achieve higher educational goals as they are weak physically
as well as mentally.

Proving that, some respondents said that they are suffering from various physical disorders as
anemia, weakening the vision of eyes, reduce of weight, frequent flue, and cold etc. due to
insufficiency of nutritious food. The other remarkable factor is a higher number of students are
suffering from gastritis as a result of neglecting meals and fasting for a long time. The medical
officers of the university also confirmed that many students have such nutrition deficiencies
related health problems and they further revealed that many students are not in required weight
in accordance with their age and height.

Another remarkable factor identified here is, even though some students ignore their nutritious
needs having inadequate portions of food due to economic difficulties, majority of them tend to
spend money for their social needs such as cellular phones and new clothes etc. All most all
respondents of this study use mobile phones. Using mobile phone is a rapidly increasing trend in
current society. Every type of person at present, including youth, middle, old, and even young
children also use mobile phones. University students can not avoid from that social trend as they
are also highly influenced by the culture of mass society. In this globalized society, it is difficult
to avoid such consumer items as it greatly helps to maintain social relations. They can share their
feelings, ideas, sorrows, happiness, problems etc. over the hand phones. However, to get this
advantage, some of them have to sacrifice their most basic needs such as food.

13
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