Influence of biomedical education on health and eating habits of university students in Spain

Muñoz‐Rodríguez, José Ramón; Luna-Castro, Javier; Ballesteros-Yáñez, Inmaculada; Pérez‐Ortiz, José Manuel; Gómez‐Romero, Francisco Javier; Redondo‐Calvo, Francisco Javier; Alguacil, Luis F.; Castillo, Claudia

doi:10.1016/j.nut.2021.111181

Cited by 17 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 49 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Among students enrolled in a nutrition class in Australia [49], consumption of takeaway food was less frequent than that reported in other studies in young adults [50,51], and, in a cohort of Romanian medical students, the majority reported that they consumed fast food either not at all or only once per week [52]. Furthermore, a Spanish study comparing biomedical and non-biomedical university students reported that biomedical students made healthier food choices [19]. Thus, it was somewhat surprising that our population of biomedical students had relatively high consumption of EDNP foods (i.e., consistent with the general young adult population), although takeaway food consumption per se was not examined.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…While biomedical students are generally considered a "health conscious" group [19], there are no previous Australian reports of their adherence to nutrient and physical activity guidelines, nor their current metabolic health status. Adherence to dietary and physical activity guidelines offers considerable health benefits, mitigates noncommunicable disease risk, and lowers economical costs in the context of both personal and public healthcare [20,21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Adherence to Dietary and Physical Activity Guidelines in Australian Undergraduate Biomedical Students and Associations with Body Composition and Metabolic Health: A Cross-Sectional Study

Gallo

Young

et al. 2021

Nutrients

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

There is a paucity of data on whether Australian university students are meeting specific nutrient guidelines, and the relationship between diet and physical activity patterns with body composition and metabolic health. In this study, biomedical students from The University of Queensland were recruited (150 males and 211 females, 19–25 years), and nutritional intake (ASA24-Australia) and physical activity levels (Active Australia Survey) quantified. Body composition (height, waist circumference, body mass, BMI, and percentage body fat; BOD POD) and metabolic health (oral glucose tolerance test) were also measured. Median daily energy intake was 6760 kJ in females and 10,338 kJ in males, with more than 30% of total energy coming from energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods. Only 1 in 10 students met fruit or vegetable recommendations, with less than one third meeting recommendations for fibre, calcium, and potassium. Intakes of calcium and iron were particularly low among female students, with only 16% and 6% of students meeting the recommended dietary intake (RDI), respectively. The majority of males and almost half of all females exceeded the suggested dietary target (SDT) for sodium. Sufficient physical activity (≥150 min over ≥5 sessions per week) was met by more than 80% of students. Body composition and blood glucose concentrations were largely normal but an early sign of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR > 2.0), measured in a subset of students, was present in 21% of males and 17% of females. Modest reductions in blood glucose levels and percentage body fat were associated with increasing vigorous activity. Low intakes of fibre, calcium, and potassium could be corrected by increasing fruit, vegetable, and dairy intake, and, among females, health promotion messages focusing on iron-rich foods should be prioritised. While these nutrient deficiencies did not translate into immediate metabolic heath concerns, dietary behaviours can track into adulthood and have lasting effects on overall health.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adherence to Dietary and Physical Activity Guidelines in Australian Undergraduate Biomedical Students and Associations with Body Composition and Metabolic Health: A Cross-Sectional Study

Gallo

Young

et al. 2021

Nutrients

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In our study, only half of the participants ate fish at least several times a month. Similarly, Muñoz-Rodríguez et al [ 70 ] reported unsatisfactory consumption levels of fruit, vegetables, and fish in Spanish university students. Regular fish consumption (1–2 servings per week) protects against coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke and is, thus, recommended by the WHO [ 67 ] and Polish guidelines [ 68 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Eating Behaviors, Depressive Symptoms and Lifestyle in University Students in Poland

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Young adulthood is the period from the late teens through the twenties and is associated with life transitions that could contribute to the development of obesity. Targeting this group will be critical to reversing the obesity epidemic. The aim of the study was to investigate the eating behaviors and lifestyle of healthcare students in Poland. We enrolled 227 students in the study. Convenience sampling was employed. Diet (Food Frequency Questionnaire), physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), impulsivity (Barratt Impulsivity Scale), and eating behaviors (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire) were assessed. One in three students exhibited depressive symptoms, one in four showed low levels of physical activity. More than 40% of the students did not consume vegetables at least once a day, and more than half did not consume fruit. Only approximately 50% of the students ate fish several times a month. There was an association between high scores of specific eating behaviors and body weight, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and consumption of specific product groups (sweets, alcohol). The results of our study are expected to contribute to a better understanding of dietary habits and overweight/obesity in university students, and support the development of programs to promote healthy lifestyles in that population.

show abstract

“…This study's objective was to assess the alcohol consumption among university students in a representative area of Romania, Europe, and correlate it with other lifestyle factors in order to devise an educational approach to battling the effects of substance abuse in university students, which also becomes a vector of health promotion in family and professional environments. Students have been reported to drink at higher levels than non-student peers, given the negative social and health consequences of excessive alcohol intake and the link with other unhealthy behaviors (e.g., cigarette smoking and recreational drug use) [18]. Previous studies have shown that factors influencing students' drinking are unstructured time, living situation (on campus, off-campus, and peers), moving away from home, and university life [19], [20].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Alcohol Consumption Related to Lifestyle Factors in Romanian University Students?

Năsui

Ungur

Talaba

et al. 2021

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Poor eating habits and substance abuse are major public health concerns among young adults transitioning into university life. This study's objective was to assess Romanian students' alcohol consumption and correlate it with other lifestyle factors. We performed a cross-sectional study of 1212 students with a mean age of 21.1 ± 2.4 years. We applied a valid online questionnaire to evaluate and statistically analyze the interrelation between alcohol consumption and lifestyle factors by multivariate statistical analysis. The prevalence of alcohol consumption among the student population enrolled in the study was 79.9%. Multiple regression showed that alcohol consumption was positively associated with gender (p < 0.001), level of physical activity (p = 0.009), number of cigarettes (p < 0.001), and fast-food consumption (p < 0.001), and negatively associated with sleep (p = 0.012) and study hours (p < 0.001). The study revealed a high prevalence (18%) of binge drinking among males. The frequent use of illicit drugs is associated with alcohol consumption (p < 0.001) but present at low levels (1.6%). The study evidenced a high prevalence of alcohol consumption in students, especially in males, and poor food behavior related to the intake of vegetables and fruits. Health promotion campaigns regarding the harmful effects of alcohol, smoking, poor nutrition, and ongoing illicit drug prevention campaigns are needed to improve students' performances.

show abstract

Influence of biomedical education on health and eating habits of university students in Spain

Cited by 17 publications

References 49 publications

Adherence to Dietary and Physical Activity Guidelines in Australian Undergraduate Biomedical Students and Associations with Body Composition and Metabolic Health: A Cross-Sectional Study

Adherence to Dietary and Physical Activity Guidelines in Australian Undergraduate Biomedical Students and Associations with Body Composition and Metabolic Health: A Cross-Sectional Study

Eating Behaviors, Depressive Symptoms and Lifestyle in University Students in Poland

Is Alcohol Consumption Related to Lifestyle Factors in Romanian University Students?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About