Nursing students' nutritional knowledge and eating habits

Abstract

The habit of eating is related to factors: cultural, social, and educational; hence the knowledge about nutrition can influence how we eat and our nutritional status. The objective of the research is to establish nutritional knowledge and the relationship with the eating habits of nursing students. For this, an observational, cross-sectional, stratified study with a quantitative design was carried out, obtaining a probabilistic sample of 285 individuals; two surveys were applied, the first related to nutritional knowledge and the second to knowing their habits with respect to food. In the statistical analysis of the knowledge survey, an average level of dietary habits was obtained for 69.9%, nutritional habits at 52.78%, nutrient content of food at 61.4%, and food-related health disorders considered at 69.8% as medium level. Regarding eating habits, only 25% eat three meals a day, 50% eat breakfast only once a week, and 33% eat lunch once a week. 60% consume only two servings of fruits and vegetables 3 to 4 times per week. The consumption of water is adequate at only 20.4%. 63.4% consume foods rich in sugar and fat 1 to 2 times a week. In conclusion, this shows that 58% of students need to apply the knowledge they have about nutrition to their eating habits because they eat outside the home.