COMPARATIVE STUDY TO ASSESS THE UNHEALTHY EATING PRACTICES AMONG MEDICAL AND NON MEDICAL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

University going students, both of medical and non-medical department, have poor dietary habits and practices regardless of the knowledge they have about the health related factors. These poor dietary habits and practices may include junk food consumption, carbonated drinks intake, high tea consumption and breakfast skipping habit etc. Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the dietary habits, practices and knowledge between the medical and non-medical university going students Methods: A cross sectional study was performed at University of Lahore. Total 100 students were enrolled to be part of study. 50 students were from medical department and 50 students were from non-medical department, by using convenient sampling technique. In order to assess their dietary habits, knowledge and attitude, self-formulated food frequency questionnaire was used Results: Out of total 100 students, 55 % were male and 45% were female. Majority of them were from urban areas and few of them were from rural areas. Most of them belonged to a middle class status. Although 62% non-medical and 70% medical university students preferred homemade food but still 54% non-medical 46% medical university students had overall high to very high range of daily fat intake. (P=<0.001). Nearly 70% non-medical and 60% medical university students had the daily carbonated drinks consumption. On the other hand, 30% non-medical and 26% medical university students had high tea/coffee consumption. Both non-medical and medical students were found to be indulge in the breakfast skipping habits as well Conclusion: According to the results found, although the medical students have the great knowledge regarding health and dietary habits, they still have the poor dietary intake. Skipping of breakfast, greater intake of daily fats, high carbonated drinks intake and increased tea/coffee consumption are common poor dietary practices in both medical and non-medical university students.