Ketogenic diet: knowledge, awareness, and perception among university students in Saudi Arabia
<p><strong>Background and Objective:</strong> Ketogenic diet (KD) has gained a high popularity recently. It is extensively used for weight reduction besides its therapeutic use in some diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the awareness, knowledge, and perception about K...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Discover STM Publishing Ltd
2022-06-01
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| Series: | BioMedica |
| Online Access: | https://biomedicapk.com/10.51441/BioMedica/5-707 |
| _version_ | 1797629411402448896 |
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| author | Nahla Ali Alshaikh |
| author_facet | Nahla Ali Alshaikh |
| author_sort | Nahla Ali Alshaikh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p><strong>Background and Objective:</strong> Ketogenic diet (KD) has gained a high popularity recently. It is extensively used for weight reduction besides its therapeutic use in some diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the awareness, knowledge, and perception about KD, its therapeutic uses, and side effects among university students in Saudi Arabia.<br /><strong>Methods:</strong> This survey-based study was conducted at Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia, during the month of December, 2021. A validated and pretested questionnaire was electronically distributed via a Google Drive link to collect data from the students enrolled in the study. Data were computed using correlation statistics.<br /><strong>Results:</strong> A total of 701 students completed the questionnaire. Among all students, 64% were females and 64.6% were studying in non-health related specialties. Majority of the students (84.8%) had heard about KD at the time of survey administration and 70.6% knew someone who were using KD. More than half (69.5%) of the students reported weight loss as the purpose of KD use. Most of the participants did not know about the therapeutic use of KD for diabetes and epilepsy (58.9% and 81%, respectively). Majority of the students did not know about most of the adverse effects of KD; however, 87.2%, 79.7%, and 80.9% of the participants had a perception that everyone cannot follow KD, it is not safe to follow KD lifelong, and the diet has to be recommended and supervised by a physician, respectively.<br /><strong>Conclusion:</strong> The study shows that the students had low knowledge about KD’s therapeutic uses and side effects. Weight loss was considered as the main purpose for using KD. Most of the students rightfully perceived the importance of consulting a physician before adopting this diet plan.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:52:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c66e597def34d178da23b0067ed368e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2710-3471 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:52:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Discover STM Publishing Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BioMedica |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c66e597def34d178da23b0067ed368e2023-11-13T13:59:20ZengDiscover STM Publishing LtdBioMedica2710-34712022-06-01382646910.51441/BioMedica/5-707Ketogenic diet: knowledge, awareness, and perception among university students in Saudi ArabiaNahla Ali Alshaikh0Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.<p><strong>Background and Objective:</strong> Ketogenic diet (KD) has gained a high popularity recently. It is extensively used for weight reduction besides its therapeutic use in some diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the awareness, knowledge, and perception about KD, its therapeutic uses, and side effects among university students in Saudi Arabia.<br /><strong>Methods:</strong> This survey-based study was conducted at Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia, during the month of December, 2021. A validated and pretested questionnaire was electronically distributed via a Google Drive link to collect data from the students enrolled in the study. Data were computed using correlation statistics.<br /><strong>Results:</strong> A total of 701 students completed the questionnaire. Among all students, 64% were females and 64.6% were studying in non-health related specialties. Majority of the students (84.8%) had heard about KD at the time of survey administration and 70.6% knew someone who were using KD. More than half (69.5%) of the students reported weight loss as the purpose of KD use. Most of the participants did not know about the therapeutic use of KD for diabetes and epilepsy (58.9% and 81%, respectively). Majority of the students did not know about most of the adverse effects of KD; however, 87.2%, 79.7%, and 80.9% of the participants had a perception that everyone cannot follow KD, it is not safe to follow KD lifelong, and the diet has to be recommended and supervised by a physician, respectively.<br /><strong>Conclusion:</strong> The study shows that the students had low knowledge about KD’s therapeutic uses and side effects. Weight loss was considered as the main purpose for using KD. Most of the students rightfully perceived the importance of consulting a physician before adopting this diet plan.</p>https://biomedicapk.com/10.51441/BioMedica/5-707 |
| spellingShingle | Nahla Ali Alshaikh Ketogenic diet: knowledge, awareness, and perception among university students in Saudi Arabia BioMedica |
| title | Ketogenic diet: knowledge, awareness, and perception among university students in Saudi Arabia |
| title_full | Ketogenic diet: knowledge, awareness, and perception among university students in Saudi Arabia |
| title_fullStr | Ketogenic diet: knowledge, awareness, and perception among university students in Saudi Arabia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ketogenic diet: knowledge, awareness, and perception among university students in Saudi Arabia |
| title_short | Ketogenic diet: knowledge, awareness, and perception among university students in Saudi Arabia |
| title_sort | ketogenic diet knowledge awareness and perception among university students in saudi arabia |
| url | https://biomedicapk.com/10.51441/BioMedica/5-707 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nahlaalialshaikh ketogenicdietknowledgeawarenessandperceptionamonguniversitystudentsinsaudiarabia |