Drivers of ultra-processed food consumption in emerging adults: the influence of obesogenic environment, hedonic hunger, and food choices

Ultra-processed foods (UPF) consumption is rising globally, particularly among emerging adults. University students, navigating independent living, are vulnerable to unhealthy eating behaviors influenced by obesogenic environments, hedonic hunger, and poor food choices. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the relationship between obesogenic environment perception, hedonic hunger, food choice tendencies, and UPF consumption among university students in Istanbul, Türkiye. A total of 407 students (82.1% female) participated in this cross-sectional study conducted in Istanbul, Türkiye, between November 30, 2024, and April 30, 2025. Participants were recruited using a non-probability convenience and snowball sampling approach via online survey dissemination. An online questionnaire assessed sociodemographic data, the Assessment of the Obesogenic Environment Scale for Adults (AOESA), Power of Food Scale (PFS-Tr), Single-Item Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ), and short screening questionnaire for UPF consumption (sQ-HPF). Data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0. According to sQ-HPF, 65.8% of students had high UPF consumption. Both AOESA and sQ-HPF scores were significantly higher in overweight participants (p = 0.033; p = 0.014). AOESA was moderately correlated with PFS-Tr (r = 0.589, p < 0.001) and FCQ (r = 0.552, p < 0.001), while PFS-Tr also correlated with FCQ (r = 0.398, p < 0.001) and sQ-HPF (r = 0.388, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that higher AOESA (β = 0.022), higher PFS-Tr (β = 0.066), and lower FCQ (β = − 0.064) predicted UPF consumption, explaining 57.4% of the variance. Findings highlight the need for strategies targeting environmental and behavioral factors to reduce UPF intake in university students.