EVALUATION OF NUTRITIONAL HABITS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

In this study, it has been aimed to evaluate nutritional status of university students during pandemic. In this cross-sectional study, 354 university students who were aged between 18-25 years were included. Students were contacted via an online questionnaire. Demographic characteristics, meal consumption, changes in food consumption, use of nutritional supplements and anthropometric measurements (body weight, body height) were questioned with a questionnaire form. 309 women (87,30%) student and 45 male (12,70%) student were included to the study. The most commonly used nutritional supplements were multi-vitamin/mineral and vitamin C (5,60% and 2,50%, respectively). Students stated that they changed the consumption of fatty and sugary foods and beverages in the pandemic. More than half of the students increased consumption of dark green vegetables (51,10%), fruit (fresh) (59,60%) and tea (54,80%). They skipped breakfast and snacks less, and skipped lunch more when compared to prepandemic period. More than half of them stated that they cleaned food and food packagings (78,50%), and made most of their food shopping (95,20%) from the grocery store. During the pandemic, it was determined that there were changes in the nutritional habits of the majority of university students, especially about the foods they preferred and their cleaning practices for foods.