What the study found
The study found that food waste reduction among university canteen users in Thailand was influenced mainly by perceived behavioral control and motivation, not knowledge alone. It also found that structural barriers made upstream prevention harder, even though canteens supported segregation.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that the findings point to a need for dual strategies: strengthening psychosocial drivers and improving service environments. They also frame this as relevant to institutional food waste policies and the global SDG 12.3 targets, which concern reducing food waste.
What the researchers tested
The researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey of 400 undergraduate students in a large Thai university canteen. They used structured questionnaires and analyzed the data with descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression, drawing on the ETPB and the waste hierarchy framework.
What worked and what didn't
Participants showed consistently high levels across all dependent variables, but their actual food waste reduction behavior was only moderate. Multiple regression explained 17.1% of the variance, and perceived behavioral control (β = 0.338, p < 0.001) and motivation (β = 0.162, p = 0.001) were the strongest predictors. Structural barriers such as poor food quality (65.0%), limited portion size flexibility (36.3%), and time constraints during peak hours (58.8%) hindered upstream food waste prevention.
What to keep in mind
The study used a cross-sectional survey at one large Thai university canteen, so the findings are limited to that setting and time point. The abstract does not describe other limitations beyond the modest proportion of variance explained by the model.
Key points
- Perceived behavioral control and motivation were the strongest predictors of food waste reduction.
- The regression model explained 17.1% of the variance in food waste reduction behavior.
- Students reported moderately engaging in food waste reduction despite high survey responses on related variables.
- Poor food quality, limited portion flexibility, and peak-hour time constraints were reported as barriers.
- The study suggests combining psychosocial support with better service environments.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Student food waste reduction is driven by control and motivation
- Authors:
- Patranit Srijuntrapun, Pattama Ket-um
- Institutions:
- Mahidol University, Srinakharinwirot University
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-23
- OpenAlex record:
- View
- Image credit:
- Photo by analogicus on Pixabay · Pixabay License
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with peer-reviewed research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.