Eating practices, nutritional knowledge and body weight in nursing science students at the University of Fort Hare

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Date
2009-09
Authors
Okeyo, Alice Phelgona
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University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in college and health science students is increasing. This study determined whether eating practices and nutrition knowledge are associated with body weight in nursing science students. The study also evaluated the association between socio-demographic factors and body weight status. A cross-sectional survey of 161 full time undergraduate nursing science students (31.7 % male and 68.3 % female), aged 18 and above, were chosen randomly from the University of Fort Hare. Validated questionnaires were used to determine the socio-demographic factors, eating practices and nutrition knowledge. Eating practices were determined by means of a 24-hour recall and a short food frequency questionnaire. Standard techniques involving a calibrated platform electronic scale and stadiometer, as well as a standard tape measure were used to measure weight, height, waist and hip circumference so as to calculate body weight status (Body mass index (BMI), Waist circumference (WC), and Waist hip ratio (WHR)). Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data, including, frequencies and percentage for categorical variables and means and standard deviations or medians and percentiles for continuous data. The underweight, normal weight and overweight/obese groups were compared by means of 95 % confidence intervals for median differences. This study showed that less than half of the students (46.0 %) were of normal weight (58.8 % male students compared to 40.0 % female students). The prevalence of overweight and obesity was more common among female students compared to males (36.4 % and 21.8 % versus 21.6 % and 9.8 %, respectively). In contrast, 9.8 % male students were underweight compared to 1.8 % females. Sixty two students had WC values above the cut off points (≥ 88 cm: F; ≥ 102 cm: M) while sixty students had WHR values above the cut off points (≥ 0.8: F; ≥ 0.9: M). Important observations of the usual daily food intake showed that less than the daily recommended number of food portions from the food groups were consumed for milk and milk products (92.6% of students); vegetables (97.5 %) and fruits (42.2 %). More than the recommended number of portions per day was consumed for meat and meat alternatives (81 %), sweets and sugar (77.8 %), fats and oils (50 %). The recommended number of servings per day was only met for bread and cereals (82.7 %). Median daily energy intake for female students (5543.3 kJ) was significantly lower than that of males (6333.3 kJ). For all students the median energy and fat intakes were relatively low, while carbohydrate and protein intakes were higher than the RDA. Usual meal patterns showed that 59 % of students ate three meals daily and the most frequently skipped meal was breakfast. Foods most often consumed on a daily basis were salt/stock/royco (85.8 %), margarine/oils/fats (67.9 %), sugar (58.6 %), bread (55.6 %) and cereal (34.7%). Foods most often not consumed included low fat/skim milk (76.5 %), alcohol (73.5 %), cremora (48.2 %), soy mince/legumes, baked beans, dried beans/peas and lentils (45.7 %), and peanut butter (42.6 %). A significant higher percentage of underweight (14.3 %) than overweight/obese (1.3 %) individuals consumed bread and cereals below the recommended daily requirements. More overweight/obese (72.5 %) than underweight (28.6 %) students ate chips/crisps on a daily basis. Fat consumption in underweight students was significantly less than that of overweight/obese students. Significantly more overweight/obese (90 %) than underweight (57.1 %) students ate sweets and chocolate on a daily basis, and significantly more underweight (57.1 %) than normal weight (16.2 %) students consumed low fat/ skim milk on a daily basis. Of 162 students, 69.3 % were uninformed of the food groups to eat the most and 24.9 % of which food groups to eat least, according to dietary guidelines. The recommended daily portions from the food groups were not known by the students: 85.7 % of students did not know the daily recommended servings for bread, cereal and pasta, 54.7 % did not know the recommended servings for vegetables and 54.7 % did not know the recommended serving for meat, poultry, fish dry beans, eggs and nuts. Over 60.2 % did not know the daily recommended servings for milk and milk products. Over 55.3 % of students knew the recommended servings for fruits, 92.6 % knew foods with high fiber content, 50.3 % knew that peanut butter has a high fat content, while 96.3 % knew the best sources of beta carotene. The median percentage for correct answers obtained in the nutrition knowledge test was 56.3 %. Of 162 students, 34.2 % scored less than 50 % while 65.8 % scored more than 50 % in a nutrition knowledge questionnaire. There was no statistical significant difference between BMI categories in terms of the score in the nutrition knowledge test. However, significantly more underweight (63.5 %) than overweight/obese (1.4 %) students knew the recommended servings for milk, cheese and yoghurt. Significantly more normal weight students (20.3 %) than overweight/obese (8.8 %) students knew the daily recommended servings for bread, cereal, rice and pasta. Significantly more overweight (95.0 %) than underweight (71.1 %) students knew carrot as a good source of ß-carotene. In conclusion, healthy eating practices need to be emphasized in this group while ensuring an adequate awareness campaign. The findings suggest the need for strategies designed to improve competence in the area of nutrition, especially with respect to information relating to guidelines for healthy eating practices and healthy weight management. Nutritional education for female students, especially related to body weight management is recommended. Interventions for the prevention and control of obesity must go much further than simply prompting nutrition knowledge.
Afrikaans: Die voorkoms van oormassa en vetsug neem toe in kollege en gesondheidswetenskap studente. Die studie het bepaal of die eetgewoontes en voedingkennis van verpleegkunde studente met liggaamsmassa verband hou. Die studie het ook die verband tussen sosiodemografiese faktore en liggaamsmassa status bepaal.. ‘n Dwarssnit opname van 161 voltydse voorgraadse verpleegkunde studente (31.7% manlik en 68.3% vroulik), 18 jaar en ouer, van die Universiteit van Fort Hare wat ewekansig gekies is, is ingesluit. Geldige vraelyste is gebruik om die sosiodemografies faktore, eetgewoontes en voedingkennis te bepaal. Eetgewoontes is met behulp van ‘n 24- uur herroep en ‘n kort voedselfrekwensie vraelys bepaal. Standaard tegnieke wat ‘n gekalibreerde elektroniese platform skaal en ‘n stadiometer, asook ‘n stadaard meetband ingesluit het, is gebruik om massa, lengte, middel-, en heupomtrek te meet en liggaamsmassa status (liggaamsmassa- indeks, LMI), middelomtrek (MO), en middelheupverhouding (MHV) te bereken. Beskrywende statistiek is gebruik om die data te beskryf, insluitend, frekwensies en persentasies vir kategoriese veranderlikes en gemiddeldes en standaardafwykings of mediane en persentiele vir aaneenlopende data. Die ondermassa, normale massa en oormassa/vetsug groepe is met behulp van 95 persent vertrouensintervalle vir mediaanverskille vergelyk. Die studie toon dat minder as helfte van die studente (46.0 %) ‘n normal massa (58.8 % manlik studente vergelyk met 40.0 % vroulik studente) gehad het. Die voorkoms van oormassa en vetsug was meer algemeen onder vroulike as manlike studente (36.4 % en 21.8 % vs 21.6 % en 9.8 % respektiewelik). In teenstelling was 9.8 % manlike versus 1.8 % vroulike studente ondermassa. Twee en sestig studente het ‘n MO bo die afsnypunt gehad (≥ 88 cm: V; ≥ 102 cm: M) terwyl sestig studente ‘n MHV bo die afsnypunt gehad het (≥ 0.8: V; ≥ 0.9: M). Belangrike waarnemings van die tipiese daaglikse inname was dat minder as die aanbevole daaglikse aantal porsies uit die voedselgroepe ingeneem is vir melk en 130 melkprodukte (92.6 %), groente (97.5%) en vrugte (42.2%). Geen van die studente het die aanbevole porsies vir β-karoteenryke vrugte en groente wat vitamien C bevat ingeneem nie. Meer as die aanbevole porsies per dag is ingeneem vir vleis en vleisalternatiewe (81 %), soetigheid en lekkergoed (77.8 %), vette en olie (50 %). Die aanbevole aantal porsies per dag is net vir brood en grane (82.7 %) bereik. Die mediaan van die daaglikse energie-inname vir vroulike studente (5543.3 kJ) was betekenisvol laer as die van die manlike studente (6333.3 kJ). Vir al die studente was die median van die energie- en vetinname relatief laag, terwyl die koolhidraat en proteïeninname hoër was as die Aanbevole Daaglikse Toelae (ADT). Gebruiklike maaltydpatrone toon dat 59 % van die studente gewoonlik drie maaltye per dag nuttig en dat ontbyt die maaltyd is wat die meeste oorgeslaan word. Voedsel wat mees algemeen op ‘n daaglikse basis ingeneem word sluit in sout/aftreksel/royco (85.8 %), margarien/olies/vette (67.9 %), suiker (58.6 %), brood (55.6 %) en grane (34.7 %). Voedsel wat die meeste nie gebruik word nie sluit in lae vet/vetvry melk (76.5%), alkohol (73.5 %), cremora (48.2 %), soja/peule, ‘baked beans’, droëbone/-ertjies en lensies (45.7 %) en grondboonjiebotter (42.6 %). ‘n Betekenisvol hoër persentasie ondermassa (14.3 %) as oormassa/vetsug (1.3 %) studente het minder as die aanbevole daaglikse aantal porsies brood en graan ingeneem. Meer oormassa/vetsug (72.5 %) as ondermassa (28.6 %) studente het ‘chips/crisps op ‘n daaglikse basis ingeneem. Vetinname deur ondermassa studente was betekenisvol minder as die van oormassa/vetsug studente. Betekenisvol meer oormassa/vetsug (90 %) as ondermassa (57.1 %) studente het lekkergoed en sjokolade op ‘n daaglikse basies ingeneem en betekenisvol meer ondermassa (57.1) as normale massa (15 %) studente het lae vet/ vetvry melk op ‘n daaglikse basis ingeneem. Van 162 studente, het 69.3 % nie geweet watter voedselgroep die meeste en 24.9 % watter voedselgroep die minste, volgens die dieetriglyne in die dieet ingesluit behoort te word nie. So ook was die daaglikse aanbevole porsies uit die verskillende voedslegroepe vir meeste onbekend: brood, grane en pasta (85.7 % ); groente (54.7 %); vleis, pluimvee, 131 vis, droëbone, eiers en neute (54.7 %); melk en melkprodukte (60.2 %). Studente het wel geweet wat die aanbevole daaglikse porsies uit die vrugtegroep (55.3 %) is; watter voedsels ‘n hoë veselinhoud het (92.6 %); dat grondboontjiebotter ‘n hoë vetinhoud het (50.3 %) en watter voedsels die beste bronne van ß-karoteen is ( 96.3 %). In die voedingkennistoets was die median vir korrekte antwoorde 56.3 %. Van 162 studente, het 34.2 % minder as 50 % en 65.8 % meer as 50 % behaal. Geen statisties betekenisvolle verskille is gevind tussen LMI kategorieë in terme van korrekte antwoorde in die voedingkennistoets verkry nie. Betekenisvol meer ondermassa (63.5 %) as oormassa/vetsug (1.4 %) studente het wel die aanbevole daaglikse porsies vir melk, kaas en joghurt geken. Meer normale massa (20.3 %) as oormassa/vetsug (8.8 %) studente het ook die daaglikse aanbevole porsies vir brood, grane, rys en pasta geken, en meer oormassa (95.0 %) as ondermassa (71.1 %) studente het geweet wortels is ‘n goeie bron van ß-karoteen. Die gevolgtrekking kan gemaak word dat gesonde eetgewoontes in die groep beklemtoon moet word, gepaard met ‘n bewusmakingsveldtog. Die bevindings suggureer die behoefte dat strategieë ontwerp moet word om voedingkennis te verbeter, veral ten opsigte van ininligting oor die riglyne vir gesonde eetgewoontes en gesonde massabeheer. Voedingonderig vir vroulike studente wat veral massabeheer insluit word aanbeveel. Intervensies vir die voorkoming en kontrole van vetsug moet verder gevoer word as bloot net voedingkennis.
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Keywords
Nursing students -- Nutrition, Nursing students -- Attitudes, Obesity, Food habits -- Nurses, Dissertation (M.Nutrition (Human Nutrition))--University of the Free State, 2009
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