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. 2023 Jun 26;15(13):2894.
doi: 10.3390/nu15132894.

Assessment of Lifestyle, Eating Habits and the Effect of Nutritional Education among Undergraduate Students in Southern Italy

Fiorenzo Moscatelli  1 , Antonella De Maria  2 , Luigi Antonio Marinaccio  1 , Vincenzo Monda  3 , Antonietta Messina  2 , Domenico Monacis  4 , Giusi Toto  4 , Pierpaolo Limone  5 , Marcellino Monda  2 , Giovanni Messina  1 , Antonietta Monda  2 , Rita Polito  1
Affiliations

Assessment of Lifestyle, Eating Habits and the Effect of Nutritional Education among Undergraduate Students in Southern Italy

Fiorenzo Moscatelli et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: The years spent at university represent a critical period that can influence both the quality of lifestyle and the eating habits of subsequent adulthood, and also, in the long term, the health of the individual. The aim of this study was to investigate the lifestyle of university students living away from home.

Methods: Each subject recruited for the study was given a questionnaire to obtain general information, eating habits and physical activity levels before (T0) and after six month of training seminars (T1). Blood pressure, body composition and questionnaire responses were investigated.

Results: The main findings of this study are a significant decrement in blood pressure; an increment in physical activity practice; an increased number of subjects who pay attention to the calorific value of food and also an improvement in BIA parameters.

Conclusions: In conclusion, this study demonstrated the challenges that university students face in leading a healthy lifestyle and caring for their nutritional needs, particularly when they are away from their families. No intervention specifically targets young adults, even though much emphasis is placed on the promotion of a healthy lifestyle based on a varied and balanced diet and sufficient exercise. Our study showed that it is possible to improve lifestyle through educational events aimed at making students aware of the health risks deriving from unhealthy lifestyles.

Keywords: correct nutrition; health; lifestyle; nutritional education; physical activity; university students.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Differences in blood pressure between To and T1. ** indicates p-value < 0.01.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentage differences of subjects who declared they consumed sweets during the week (Chi-square, df = 12.69, 2; p < 0.01).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Percentage differences of subjects who declared they consumed red meat during the week (Chi-square, df = 6.805, 2; p < 0.05).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Percentage differences of subjects who declared they consumed processed meat during the week (Chi-square, df = 7.875, 2; p < 0.05).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Percentage differences of subjects who declared they consumed legumes during the week (Chi-square, df = 9.353, 3; p < 0.05).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Percentage differences of subjects who declared they consumed fruits during the week (Chi-square, df = 25.33, 3; p < 0.001).
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