Knowledge and Assessment of Calcium Intake among Medical Students at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Agadir

Abstract

Despite being aware of the significance of maintaining a well-balanced diet abundant in calcium, medical students frequently struggle with discipline and exhibit subpar adherence to this dietary practice, leading to inadequate nutrition. The study sought to evaluate the medical students’ knowledge and identify its impact on their daily calcium consumption. The study was carried out at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Agadir (FMPA) over a period of one year using a cross-sectional design. A self-administered online questionnaire consisting of three sections, namely socio-demographic information, knowledge assessment, and calculation of students' daily calcium intake, was employed. A total of 254 students participated in the survey, with an average age of 20.2 +/- 1.96 years. Out of these, 164 (64.6%) were female and 90 (35.4%) were male. The majority of participants (94.9%) were single, and 186 (73.2%) lived with their families. Regarding the study population, 199 students (78.3%) demonstrated a good level of knowledge regarding calcium. However, the median daily calcium intake was 559 +/-143 and only seven students (2.8%) met the recommended intake of > 1000mg/day according to GRIO guidelines. The results of the study indicated that, despite the heightened awareness among medical students regarding their dietary and lifestyle choices and their good knowledge about calcium intake, there is a disparity between awareness and actual daily calcium consumption. To bridge this gap, it is crucial to enhance awareness further and implement a comprehensive program during their academic years that focuses on promoting increased consumption of calcium-rich foods.