A study of eating habits among female nursing students in the university of Babylon/Iraq

Abstract

Objectives To assess socio demographic characteristics, the responses of eating habits among female nursing students and to determine the relationship between the socio demographic characteristics and the responses of eating habits.
Methods A descriptive analytic design was conducted on a purposive sample of 100 female nursing students in the University of Babylon. A questionnaire has been used as a tool of data collection and consisting of socio demographic, the general responses, the responses related to dietary activity, behavioral responses of eating habits, data collected from the period of March 1 to June 20, 2016.
Results The results of the study revealed that 64.0% of women aged between 22 and 24 years with Mean ± SD (52.46 ± 11.70), 61.0% of sample were found at grade 3 of study, 81.0% were single, 96.0% were home resident, 77.0% their original address in urban area, 86.0% study sample were not working. 56.0% were economic status satisfied to some extent. 67.0% were normal weight. 72.0% were non-dieting regimen. There is a significant relationship found between the demographical characteristics and responses related to dietary activity factors in like original address, marital status, and also between general responses and demographical characteristics, such as age groups, present BMI, and significant relationship between behavioral responses and demographical characteristics variables with occupation at P ≤ 0.05.
Conclusion The study recommends that family can encourage their daughters to choose the healthiest food collections and schools, universities will assist in minimizing the consumption of fast foods and others.