Characterization, Nutrient Intake, and Nutritional Status of Low-Income Students Attending a Brazilian University Restaurant

Inadequate intake of energy and nutrients: A comparative cross-sectional study between sport and nonsport science university students of southern Ethiopia

This study aimed to investigate and compare the energy and selected nutrient intakes of sport science and nonsport science university students of Southern Ethiopia. Multiple-day dietary data were collected from 166 university students (76 sport science and 90 nonsport sciences). Average daily energy and nutrient intake, and inadequate intakes were calculated using NutriSurvey (NS). There were significant differences (p < .05) in the median intakes of energy, total carbohydrate, and vitamin B1 between female students from the sport science and nonsport science groups, but only the median intake of iron was significantly different (p < .05) between the male sport and nonsport science student groups. The prevalence of inadequate intake of vitamin B1 was significantly (p < .05) higher in the male and female from the nonsport science groups compared to the male and female student groups in the sport science, respectively, whereas the prevalence of inadequate iron intake by the male sport science students' group was significantly (p < .05) higher compared to their counterparts. Similarly, the prevalence of inadequate energy among the females from the sport science group was significantly (p < .05) higher compared to the female students from the nonsport science department group. The prevalence of inadequate intake of dietary energy and the majority of the nutrients (protein, fat, vitamin A, B1, B2, and magnesium) were high (>50%) in selected university students. The energy and majority of nutrient intakes by the students in the selected universities of southern Ethiopia were suboptimal. Therefore, activities that will improve the dietary intake of university students should include weekly meal plan revision considering their average recommended nutrient intake (RNI).

[Trajectory of changes in dietary habits of students from a Brazilian public university]

The scope of this study was to evaluate possible differences in dietary trajectories of students according to their attendance at a University Restaurant (UR) and the basis for their admission to the university. It was an experiment conducted with undergraduate students (n=1,131) from a Brazilian public university. In 2011 and 2013, questionnaires identified and completed in person were applied assessing the regular consumption of foods that were markers of healthy or unhealthy diet, partaking of lunch, dinner and replacement of lunch and/or dinner with a snack. Changes in regular food practices were examined by the individual trajectory of each student versus the studied practices obtained by combining the responses from the questionnaires. The analysis of the association between UR attendance and trajectory was carried out using multiple logistic regression models. An association was observed (95%CI non-overlapping) with greater UR attendance and a higher chance of a positive trajectory for dinner and lunch, and consumption of beans, vegetables, raw vegetables fruit, cookies, packaged salty snacks, hamburgers and candies, and a lower chance of a negative trajectory for beans, raw vegetables, and fried snacks. The implementation of the UR promoted a significant improvement in the diet of conscientious students.