Nutritional Habits and Weight Status among Jazan University Students: Eating Patterns and Healthy lifestyle Assessment

Objectives The purposes of this study were to assess the prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity and to evaluate the nutritional habits, and related factors among the Students of Jazan University. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out during the academic year 2014/2015 in...

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Main Authors: Mohamed S Mahfouz, Anwar M Makeen, Ameera Y Akour, Tasneem M Madkhly, Hanouf M Hakami, Wejdan M Shaabi, Asrar F Ageeli, Fatmah A Khawaji, Kadejah A Najmi, Sarah Y Hakami, Mozynah A Al-Ali
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Milano University Press 2016-06-01
Series:Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health
Online Access:http://ebph.it/article/view/11658
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author Mohamed S Mahfouz
Anwar M Makeen
Ameera Y Akour
Tasneem M Madkhly
Hanouf M Hakami
Wejdan M Shaabi
Asrar F Ageeli
Fatmah A Khawaji
Kadejah A Najmi
Sarah Y Hakami
Mozynah A Al-Ali
author_facet Mohamed S Mahfouz
Anwar M Makeen
Ameera Y Akour
Tasneem M Madkhly
Hanouf M Hakami
Wejdan M Shaabi
Asrar F Ageeli
Fatmah A Khawaji
Kadejah A Najmi
Sarah Y Hakami
Mozynah A Al-Ali
author_sort Mohamed S Mahfouz
collection DOAJ
description Objectives The purposes of this study were to assess the prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity and to evaluate the nutritional habits, and related factors among the Students of Jazan University. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out during the academic year 2014/2015 in Jazan University, Gizan, South West Saudi Arabia. A total of 436 students 19–25 y of age were examined. The questionnaires, including items on eating habits, lifestyle, and socio-demographic characteristics, were completed by the students. Data on weight, height were also collected.  The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Differences were considered statistically significant at P. value  < 0.05. Results The mean weight for males and females were 67.84 and 54.79 kg respectively, with significant differences between males and females (P. value <0.05). The mean BMI for all study participants was reported as 23.31 (kg/m²), also with significant difference between the males and females groups. About 45% of the students were of normal weight; the rate of obesity and underweight among students was very high (33.6% and 21.1% respectively), and their dietary habits were unhealthy. Regularity of meals was found only among (16.5% and 20.4%) males and females respectively. 83.3% of males and 95.1% of females reported eating snacks during the day. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that the prevalence of overweight and obesity were very high among the studied students. The study showed the need for health education programs on nutritional education in universities in order to increase awareness of students towards healthy eating and lifestyle.   Keywords Body mass index, Cross-sectional study, underweight, overweight, Jazan
format Article
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institution DOAJ
issn 2282-0930
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publishDate 2016-06-01
publisher Milano University Press
record_format Article
series Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health
spelling doaj-art-2a8cfce160ae48b9af02ff512a2862732025-08-20T03:06:14ZengMilano University PressEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health2282-09302016-06-0113210.2427/1165810678Nutritional Habits and Weight Status among Jazan University Students: Eating Patterns and Healthy lifestyle AssessmentMohamed S Mahfouz0Anwar M Makeen1Ameera Y Akour2Tasneem M Madkhly3Hanouf M Hakami4Wejdan M Shaabi5Asrar F Ageeli6Fatmah A Khawaji7Kadejah A Najmi8Sarah Y Hakami9Mozynah A Al-Ali10Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Objectives The purposes of this study were to assess the prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity and to evaluate the nutritional habits, and related factors among the Students of Jazan University. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out during the academic year 2014/2015 in Jazan University, Gizan, South West Saudi Arabia. A total of 436 students 19–25 y of age were examined. The questionnaires, including items on eating habits, lifestyle, and socio-demographic characteristics, were completed by the students. Data on weight, height were also collected.  The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Differences were considered statistically significant at P. value  < 0.05. Results The mean weight for males and females were 67.84 and 54.79 kg respectively, with significant differences between males and females (P. value <0.05). The mean BMI for all study participants was reported as 23.31 (kg/m²), also with significant difference between the males and females groups. About 45% of the students were of normal weight; the rate of obesity and underweight among students was very high (33.6% and 21.1% respectively), and their dietary habits were unhealthy. Regularity of meals was found only among (16.5% and 20.4%) males and females respectively. 83.3% of males and 95.1% of females reported eating snacks during the day. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that the prevalence of overweight and obesity were very high among the studied students. The study showed the need for health education programs on nutritional education in universities in order to increase awareness of students towards healthy eating and lifestyle.   Keywords Body mass index, Cross-sectional study, underweight, overweight, Jazanhttp://ebph.it/article/view/11658
spellingShingle Mohamed S Mahfouz
Anwar M Makeen
Ameera Y Akour
Tasneem M Madkhly
Hanouf M Hakami
Wejdan M Shaabi
Asrar F Ageeli
Fatmah A Khawaji
Kadejah A Najmi
Sarah Y Hakami
Mozynah A Al-Ali
Nutritional Habits and Weight Status among Jazan University Students: Eating Patterns and Healthy lifestyle Assessment
Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health
title Nutritional Habits and Weight Status among Jazan University Students: Eating Patterns and Healthy lifestyle Assessment
title_full Nutritional Habits and Weight Status among Jazan University Students: Eating Patterns and Healthy lifestyle Assessment
title_fullStr Nutritional Habits and Weight Status among Jazan University Students: Eating Patterns and Healthy lifestyle Assessment
title_full_unstemmed Nutritional Habits and Weight Status among Jazan University Students: Eating Patterns and Healthy lifestyle Assessment
title_short Nutritional Habits and Weight Status among Jazan University Students: Eating Patterns and Healthy lifestyle Assessment
title_sort nutritional habits and weight status among jazan university students eating patterns and healthy lifestyle assessment
url http://ebph.it/article/view/11658
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