Abstract
ISEE-443 Objectives: The nutrition of humans is influenced by numbers of external and internal factors. In the presented study we attempted to objectify factors, that can positively or negatively modify the nutritional behaviour and food preference of university students. The influence of the way of housing (home vs. dormitory), marriage (single vs. married), smoking (smokers vs. non smokers) and subjective evaluation of body weight (overweight vs. normal) on nutrition of students were detected by comparing quality, quantity and frequency of food. Sample and Methods: The analyzed sample comprised 3,417 persons, 36.8% men and 63.2% women. The average age of examined persons was 22.5±1.3 years. The information about the number of meals, energy and nutrients intake and about consumed food and beverages were obtained on the recall basis; the results were statistically evaluated. Results: We found out that dormitory type of housing has an unfavourable influence on students′ nutrition. Students living in dormitories were consuming significantly less milk and milk products (p<0.001), fruits (p<0.05) and vegetables than students living at home. Men living in dormitories were eating more meat and meat products (p<0.001) and they had higher cholesterol intake (p<0.001) than men living at home. Women living at dormitories had lower calcium (p<0.01), vitamin C and B2 (p<0.05) intake than women living at home. We didn’t find any difference in daily number of meals and energy intake. The positive influence of marriage on nutrition was also found out. The nutrition of married students is more varied and balanced comparing to single students. Daily number of meals and energy intake didn’t differ significantly, but the salt intake of married men was lower than in single men (p<0.001), married women had higher vitamin C intake (p<0.001) than single ones. Comparing nutrition of smokers and non smokers the differences especially in frequency and quality were found out. With less frequent number of daily meals (p<0.001) the total food weight was higher in smokers (p<0.05). Smokers (men and women) were consuming more meat products, eggs and beverages (p<0.001) than non smokers. On the contrary they consumed less milk and cereal products (p<0.01) than non smokers. There was no significant difference in energy intake between smokers and non smokers, except lower calcium intake in smoking men (p<0.05). Subjective feeling of high body weight can influence the nutrition. These students with subjective feeling of high body weight were intentionally reducing the consumption of foodstuffs with higher energetic density (e.g., fats and sweets) and they were eating less bread, legumes and potatoes and drinking more non alcoholic beverages. Students with subjective feeling of high body weight reported lower intake of energy, fats, vitamin E, saccharides including sucrose (p<0.05-0.001) than students satisfied with their weight. Conclusion: Nutritional behaviour of humans is the result of environmental and psychosocial conditions interactions and this fact has to be taken into account in nutritional intervention projects.
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