Assessment of Dietary Habits & Lifestyles amongst the University Students in Eastern India

Abstract

Background: College life gives wing to the prospects of younger mass with unlimited career prospects, sense of independence as well as lead towards a vivid lifestyle. These changes in their social activities lead towards an asymmetrical behavioral change in consumption of food items which has become a major public health concern today. Therefore, it’s a high time to understand their dietary patterns and lifestyles in order to take corrective actions for provisions of healthy eating habits and lifestyle for university students.

Objective: To understand the dietary habits as well as the lifestyles of young adolescents of a renowned private deemed to be university in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.

Materials and Methods: The research was conducted in the capital city of Bhubaneswar of Odisha state in India with feedbacks of 428 undergraduate& post graduate students of different streams attending a renowned private deemed to beuniversity. The data was capturedusing a self-administered questionnaire on the demographic profiling, social strata, lifestyle data, eating habits, health and nutritional status.

Results:Analysis results revealed about many unhealthy dietary practices& lifestyle patterns of the students. Skipping breakfasts, eating fast foods on regular basis, absence of fruits & vegetables in daily supplements, absence of physical exercise, inadequate sleeping practices, etc. which points towards undesired dietary habits in general.

Epilogue:Youth is the future of community. In this direction, the present study here can provide necessary insights into their current lifestyles and nutritional habits in order todevelop healthy eating practices as well as help the policymakers to address issues concerning students’ healthin long-term.