Eating habits of undergraduate health graduates

Abstract

Introduction: In 2021 non-communicable diseases caused 90% of deaths and 85% of comorbidities in the European region of the World Health Organization. An unbalanced diet is one of the behavioral factors associated with mortality from non-communicable diseases. In Portugal 53.6% of adults are overweight or obese. Often the transition to university is associated with students leaving their parents' home, so there is often a change in the eating pattern of young adults.

Objective: To verify whether attending the last year of a degree course in the health area can be a factor promoting a complete, balanced and varied diet. Methodology: Quantitative descriptive exploratory study, based on the hypothesis: there is a relationship between attending a degree course in the health area and students' eating habits. This study was carried out at a university in Northern Portugal. A non-probabilistic convenience sampling was used, with the inclusion criterion being: being a final-year student in the health area of the university under analysis. We used a questionnaire in google forms, developed by the authors, divided into two parts: (i) sociodemographic questionnaire; (ii) questionnaire on eating habits. Results: 97 questionnaires were sent out and obtained 100% of responses. More than half of the respondents had five or more meals during the day and, although the majority had lunch away from home, almost all had dinner at home. About 91% of the respondents revealed that they did not comply daily with the recommendations of the food wheel for a healthy diet. The totality of those who favored the group of foods rich in fat ate their lunch away from home.  Conclusion: Obesity is a growing concern, especially in more developed societies. There is evidence linking a diet rich in processed foods, fat, simple sugar, and salt with diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. However, lack of time, low economic resources, and a society that increasingly privileges speed and efficiency seem to be reasons to perpetuate the choice for an unbalanced diet.