Level of nutrition knowledge and its association with fat consumption among college students
Abstract Background Intake of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol has been associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease. The aim of this study was to explore whether increased nutrition knowledge is associated with a reduction in the consumption of unhealthy fats in a sample of uni...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2016-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3728-z |
| _version_ | 1811238276846059520 |
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| author | Najat Yahia Carrie A. Brown Melyssa Rapley Mei Chung |
| author_facet | Najat Yahia Carrie A. Brown Melyssa Rapley Mei Chung |
| author_sort | Najat Yahia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Intake of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol has been associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease. The aim of this study was to explore whether increased nutrition knowledge is associated with a reduction in the consumption of unhealthy fats in a sample of university students. Methods A sample of 231 students, with a mean age of 20 years, was recruited from university campus during spring 2012. Students completed a validated questionnaire related to students’ demographic, nutrition knowledge, and daily fat consumption. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, chi-square, and student’s t-test. Results Results indicate that female students have greater nutrition knowledge than male students (the mean nutrition score for women was 5 points higher than that of men (P = 0.01)). Nutrition knowledge was negatively correlated with fat and cholesterol intake. Students who consumed more than 35 % calories from fat or >300 mg of cholesterol daily had lower mean nutrition scores than those students with lower fat or cholesterol intake (8 points lower and 7.9 points lower, respectively). Using linear regression for nutrition scores on estimated saturated fat intake and cholesterol intake (controlling for gender, height, weight, age, and dieting), nutrition scores were negatively associated with saturated fat intake (-0.15, P <0.0001) and cholesterol intake (-1.38, P <0.0001). Conclusion Students with greater nutritional knowledge consumed less unhealthy fats and cholesterol. This finding magnifies the role of nutrition education as a potential tool in health campaigns to promote healthy eating patterns among college students. Results of this pilot study can inform the design of future nutrition education intervention studies to assess the efficacy of nutrition knowledge on pattern of fat consumption among college students. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:38:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f2757893d3b2408f9a1fc1819834a75f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:38:59Z |
| publishDate | 2016-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-f2757893d3b2408f9a1fc1819834a75f2022-12-22T03:32:50ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582016-10-0116111010.1186/s12889-016-3728-zLevel of nutrition knowledge and its association with fat consumption among college studentsNajat Yahia0Carrie A. Brown1Melyssa Rapley2Mei Chung3Department of Human Environmental Studies, Central Michigan UniversityJean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Center on Aging at Tufts UniversityDepartment of Human Environmental Studies, Central Michigan UniversityDepartment of Public Health and Family Medicine, Tufts University School of MedicineAbstract Background Intake of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol has been associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease. The aim of this study was to explore whether increased nutrition knowledge is associated with a reduction in the consumption of unhealthy fats in a sample of university students. Methods A sample of 231 students, with a mean age of 20 years, was recruited from university campus during spring 2012. Students completed a validated questionnaire related to students’ demographic, nutrition knowledge, and daily fat consumption. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, chi-square, and student’s t-test. Results Results indicate that female students have greater nutrition knowledge than male students (the mean nutrition score for women was 5 points higher than that of men (P = 0.01)). Nutrition knowledge was negatively correlated with fat and cholesterol intake. Students who consumed more than 35 % calories from fat or >300 mg of cholesterol daily had lower mean nutrition scores than those students with lower fat or cholesterol intake (8 points lower and 7.9 points lower, respectively). Using linear regression for nutrition scores on estimated saturated fat intake and cholesterol intake (controlling for gender, height, weight, age, and dieting), nutrition scores were negatively associated with saturated fat intake (-0.15, P <0.0001) and cholesterol intake (-1.38, P <0.0001). Conclusion Students with greater nutritional knowledge consumed less unhealthy fats and cholesterol. This finding magnifies the role of nutrition education as a potential tool in health campaigns to promote healthy eating patterns among college students. Results of this pilot study can inform the design of future nutrition education intervention studies to assess the efficacy of nutrition knowledge on pattern of fat consumption among college students.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3728-zNutrition educationFat consumptionNutritional knowledgeUniversity students |
| spellingShingle | Najat Yahia Carrie A. Brown Melyssa Rapley Mei Chung Level of nutrition knowledge and its association with fat consumption among college students BMC Public Health Nutrition education Fat consumption Nutritional knowledge University students |
| title | Level of nutrition knowledge and its association with fat consumption among college students |
| title_full | Level of nutrition knowledge and its association with fat consumption among college students |
| title_fullStr | Level of nutrition knowledge and its association with fat consumption among college students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Level of nutrition knowledge and its association with fat consumption among college students |
| title_short | Level of nutrition knowledge and its association with fat consumption among college students |
| title_sort | level of nutrition knowledge and its association with fat consumption among college students |
| topic | Nutrition education Fat consumption Nutritional knowledge University students |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3728-z |
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