Assessment of the actual nutrition of students of Voronezh Medical University

Abstract

BACKGROUND: At a young age, nutrition is the main factor necessary for maintaining and strengthening health during the period of growth and development. AIM: To analyze the nutrition status and its shortcomings in students in an educational institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a medical university in 2021 to 2023. A survey of 1,200 1st-year to 3d-year students in the following specialties was performed: medical science (n=401, 93 males and 308 females), pediatrics (n=405, 54 boys and 351 girls), and dentistry (n=394, 101 males and 293 females). The participants were 18–22 years old. Age groups were made to determine differences in students’ food preferences that arise with age. Anthropometric indicators were taken from all study participants, and body mass index was calculated. The participants were also asked to use the Personalized Diet 5.0 software package to make up their daily diet for subsequent analyses and identify emerging trends in the nutrition status of young people. RESULTS: Some negative aspects of the nutrition status of medical university students were identified, which, without proper attention and prevention, can lead to various pathological conditions. The main trends in the nutrition status of students were identified, namely, the content of high-carbohydrate foods in the diet, extremely low content of some micro- and macroelements in the diet, etc. CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed issues in the current nutrition status of medical university students and the need to improve it.