Analysis of the relationship between actual nutrition and physical activity and smoking among russian and foreign students of a medical university

Abstract

A significant contribution to the preservation and improvement of the population health is made by a healthy lifestyle, one of the components of which is rational nutrition. Considering severe stress experienced by students due to the changed social environment, the study of nutritional characteristics and the role of behavioral factors in eating behavior among medical students remains an extremely topical issue of modern preventive medicine. Material and methods. As a result of a cross-sectional study, 197 students of the Saratov Medical University were interviewed, 100 (51 %) of them were russian students, 97 (49 %) were citizens of Central African countries. The method of 24-hour reproduction of daily diet, program complex “Individual diet 5.0 professional version”, questionnaire were used. Results and discussions. The study showed an imbalance in macro- and micronutrients intake of the daily food ration, a violation in the diet, insufficient consumption of vegetables and fruits, rare hot meals, dissatisfaction with the organization of meals in student canteens, frequent use of fast food by students regardless of their country of origin. The relationship of physical activity and smoking with the diet and the frequency of consumption of vegetables and fruits, low awareness of unbalanced nutrition as a risk factor for the development of alimentary-dependent diseases have been established. Conclusions. The nutritional behavior of russian and foreign students of Saratov Medical University does not meet all the principles of healthy eating recommended by WHO. Thus, it is necessary to improve the organization of catering in student canteens, taking into account the taste preferences of foreign students, the introduction of educational activities and healthy nutrition programs with the involvement of the students themselves in their preparation. The analysis of actual nutrition is a very important task, as it allows assessing the current socio-economic situation, as well as the effectiveness of educational programs in the framework of national projects on a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition.