Table 2
Prevalence of unhealthy dietary habits by maternal education level and the difference in the prevalence of these habits (%)

Unhealthy dietary habits Maternal education level 2009–2010 % (SE) 2011–2013 % (SE) 2014–2016 % (SE) 2017–2019 % (SE) Difference between 2009–2011 and 2017–2019 % (95% CI)
Insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetable
Total 28.7 (0.2) 31.5 (0.1) 31.8 (0.1) 33.9 (0.2) 5.2 (4.7–5.8)
≥College 25.0 (0.3) 27.8 (0.2) 27.9 (0.2) 29.9 (0.2) 4.9 (4.2–5.6)
High school 31.9 (0.2) 34.7 (0.2) 35.3 (0.2) 37.6 (0.3) 5.7 (5.0–6.4)
≤Middle school 34.4 (0.6) 38.2 (0.5) 37.2 (0.8) 38.2 (1.3) 3.8 (0.9–6.6)
Difference, % (95% CI)
High school to college 7.0 (6.3–7.6) 6.9 (6.4–7.3) 7.4 (6.9–7.9) 7.7 (7.1–8.4)
Middle school to college 9.5 (8.1–10.8) 10.3 (9.2–11.4) 9.3 (7.7–10.8) 8.4 (5.8–11.0)
Insufficient consumption of milk
Total 55.8 (0.4) 55.3 (0.3) 58.1 (0.3) 61.4 (0.3) 5.6 (4.6–6.5)
≥College 53.4 (0.4) 52.8 (0.3) 56.0 (0.3) 60.0 (0.3) 6.7 (5.6–7.7)
High school 57.8 (0.4) 57.4 (0.3) 59.9 (0.3) 62.5 (0.4) 4.7 (3.6–5.9)
≤Middle school 59.7 (0.7) 58.9 (0.6) 60.4 (0.8) 62.2 (1.4) 2.5 (-0.5–5.5)
Difference, % (95% CI)
High school to college 4.5 (3.7–5.2) 4.6 (4.0–5.1) 3.8 (3.3–4.4) 2.5 (1.7–3.3)
Middle school to college 6.3 (4.9–7.7) 6.0 (4.9–7.2) 4.4 (2.9–5.9) 2.1 (-0.5–4.8)
Breakfast skipping
Total 23.6 (0.2) 23.3 (0.1) 27.0 (0.1) 32.5 (0.2) 8.9 (8.4–9.4)
≥College 20.5 (0.3) 20.3 (0.2) 23.6 (0.2) 28.7 (0.2) 8.2 (7.6–8.8)
High school 26.1 (0.3) 25.9 (0.2) 29.9 (0.2) 35.8 (0.3) 9.8 (9.0–10.5)
≤Middle school 32.0 (0.6) 29.0 (0.5) 32.4 (0.7) 39.3 (1.1) 7.3 (4.9–9.8)
Difference, % (95% CI)
High school to college 5.6 (4.9–6.2) 5.6 (5.2–6.0) 6.3 (5.8–6.7) 7.2 (6.6–7.7)
Middle school to college 11.5 (10.2–12.8) 8.7 (7.6–9.7) 8.8 (7.4–10.2) 10.6 (8.6–12.7)
Frequent consumption of fast food
Total 11.4 (0.1) 11.5 (0.1) 15.1 (0.1) 21.6 (0.1) 10.2 (9.8–10.6)
≥College 11.7 (0.2) 11.4 (0.1) 15.2 (0.1) 21.3 (0.2) 9.6 (9.1–10.1)
High school 11.0 (0.2) 11.6 (0.1) 15.1 (0.1) 21.9 (0.2) 10.9 (10.4–11.4)
≤Middle school 12.6 (0.5) 12.4 (0.4) 15.1 (0.5) 21.4 (0.9) 8.8 (6.8–10.7)
Difference, % (95% CI)
High school to college -0.7 (-1.1–-0.2) 0.1 (-0.2–0.4) -0.1 (-0.5–0.3) 0.6 (0.1–1.1)
Middle school to college 0.9 (0.0–1.9) 1.0 (0.2–1.7) -0.1 (-1.2–1.0) 0.1 (-1.7–1.9)
Frequent consumption of carbonated soft drinks
Total 22.6 (0.2) 23.1 (0.1) 26.1 (0.1) 34.3 (0.2) 11.7 (11.2–12.2)
≥College 21.9 (0.3) 22.1 (0.2) 25.1 (0.2) 32.3 (0.2) 10.4 (9.7–11.0)
High school 23.0 (0.2) 23.9 (0.2) 27.1 (0.2) 36.1 (0.2) 13.1 (12.5–13.8)
≤Middle school 25.6 (0.6) 26.6 (0.5) 27.9 (0.7) 36.2 (1.0) 10.6 (8.4–12.9)
Difference, % (95% CI)
High school to college 1.1 (0.5–1.6) 1.8 (1.4–2.2) 2.0 (1.6–2.5)* 3.8 (3.3–4.4)
Middle school to college 3.6 (2.5–4.8) 4.5 (3.5–5.5) 2.8 (1.5–4.2) 3.9 (1.9–5.9)
Frequent consumption of instant noodle/cup noodle
Total 22.9 (0.2) 21.1 (0.1) 21.8 (0.2) 25.5 (0.2) 2.7 (2.1–3.3)
≥College 21.0 (0.2) 19.0 (0.2) 20.2 (0.2) 24.1 (0.3) 3.1 (2.4–3.8)
High school 24.4 (0.2) 23.0 (0.2) 23.2 (0.2) 26.9 (0.4) 2.5 (1.7–3.4)
≤Middle school 28.0 (0.6) 26.0 (0.5) 25.8 (0.8) 27.3 (1.3) -0.7 (-3.4–2.0)
Difference, % (95% CI)
High school to college 3.4 (2.8–4.0) 3.6 (3.2–4.0) 3.0 (2.5–3.5) 2.8 (2.0–3.6)
Middle school to college 7.0 (5.8–8.3) 6.7 (5.8–7.7) 5.6 (4.1–7.1) 3.3 (0.7–5.8)
Prevalence in all students is adjusted for sex, grade, and maternal education level; Prevalence by maternal education group is adjusted for sex and grade.
CI, confidence interval; SE, standard error.
*<0.05, <0.01, <0.001: P for interaction of maternal education level and each time period.