Lifestyle factors and dietary intake of Iranian postgraduate students in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)
Keywords:
Body weight; Life style; Dietary intake; Iran; MalaysiaAbstract
Background: A student’s lifestyle can change notably in a foreign country. The objective of this study was to determine factors associated with the body weight status of Iranian postgraduate students in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) 2009.
Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was administered to 210 Iranian postgraduate students at UPM. Anthropometric factors also were measured using standard procedures. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) also were calculated. The chi-squared test, Spearman's rho, and the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient were used to determine the associations between the variables that were studied. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to measure the amount of influence a predictor variable had on a outcome variable.
Results: There was no significant correlation between nutritional knowledge (P > 0.05), weight-management knowledge (P > 0.05), and smoking (P > 0.05) and BMI. There were statistically significant correlations between gender (P < 0.01), physical activity (P < 0.05), protein (P < 0.01), carbohydrate (P < 0.01), fat (P < 0.01), fiber (P < 0.01), vitamin C (P < 0.05), calcium (P < 0.01), and iron (P < 0.01) and BMI. There were also relationships between body fat (P < 0.01), waist circumference (P < 0.01), hip circumference (P < 0.01) and WHR (P < 0.01) and BMI.
Conclusion: Our findings showed the need for a nutrition promotion program for the Iranian students to help them change their negative food habits and improve their lifestyle.
References
World Health Organization 2008. http://www.who.int/topics/nutrition/en/
World Health Organization . Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Geneva: 2000. Report of a WHO Consultation. WHO Technical Report Series 894. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Chopra M, Galbaraith S, Darnton-Hill I. A global response to a global problem: the epidemic of over nutrition. Bull World Health Organ. 2002;80:952–56. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Centers for Disease Control Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance: National College Health Risk Behavior Survey, United States. MMWR. 1997;46(Suppl 6):1–54. [Google Scholar]
Douglas KA, Collins JL, Warren C, Kann L, Gold R, Clayton S, Kolbe LJ. Results from the 1995 national college health risk behavior survey. J Am Coll Health. 1997;46:55–66. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Conklin MT, Lambert CU, Cranage DA. Nutrition information at point of selection could benefit college students. Top Clin Nutr. 2005;20(2):90–6. [Google Scholar]
Demory-Luce D, Morales M, Nicklas T, Baranowski T, Zakeri I, Berenson G. Changes in food group consumption patterns from childhood to young adulthood: The Bogalusa Heart Study. J Am Med Assoc. 2004;104(11):1684–91. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Cason KL, Wenrich TR. Health and nutrition beliefs and attitude practice of undergraduates of college students: A needs assessment. Top Clin Nutr. 2002;17(3):52–70. [Google Scholar]
Reeves S, Henry C. Dietary change, energy balance and body weight regulation among migrating students. Int J Food Sc and Nutr. 2000;51(6):429–38. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Huang TT, Harris KJ, Lee RE, Nazir N, Born W, Kaur H. Assessing overweight, obesity, diet, and physical activity in college students. J Am Coll Health. 2003;52(2):83–6. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Hovhannisyan MG. Dietary changes of first year foreign students studying at Yerevan state. 2007. http://www.auachsr.com/mph2007.php.
McArthur L, Grady FM, Rosenberg RI, Howard AB. Knowledge of college students regarding three themes related to dietary recommendations. Am J Health Student. 2000;16(4):177–84. [Google Scholar]
Anding JD, Suminski RR, Boss L. Dietary intake, body mass index, exercise, and alcohol: Are college women following the dietary guidelines for Americans? J Am Coll Health. 2000;49:167–71. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Debate R, Topping M, Sargent R. Racial and gender differences in weight status and dietary practices among college student. J Adolescence. 2001;36(144):819–33. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Paavola MK, Vartianinen E, Haukkala A. Smoking, alcohol use, physical activity: a 13-year longitudinal study ranging from adolescence into adulthood. J Adolescence Health. 2004;35:238–44. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Mansoor AM, Bryce Q. Migration and remittances: Eastern europe and the former Soviet Union. World Bank; Eu and Central Asia Region: Jan 16, 2007. [Google Scholar]
Constantine MG, Anderson GM, Berkel LA, Caldwell LD, Utsey SO. Examining the cultural adjustment experiences of African international college students: a qualitative analysis. J Couns Psychol. 2005;5:57–66. [Google Scholar]
Perez-Cueto F, Verbeke W, Lachat C, Remaut-De Winter AM. Changes in dietary habits following temporal migration. The case of international students in Belgium. J Appetite. 2009;5:83–8. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Wardle J, Parmenter K, Waller J. Nutrition knowledge and food intake. J Appetite. 2000;34:269–75. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Thombs DL, Mahoney CA, McLaughlin ML. Expectancies, Self-Esteem, Knowledge, and Adolescent Weight Reduction Behavior. J Nutr Edu. 1998;30:107–13. [Google Scholar]
Koay CY. Universiti Putra Malaysia; Serdang: 1998. Imej tubuh dan amalan pemakanan di kalangan remja sekolahdi ipoh. Thesis BS. (pemakanan dan kesihatan komuniti). [Google Scholar]
International Physical Activity Questionnaire Research Committee Short Last 7 Days Self-administrated. Format Available at: http://www.ipaq.ki.se.2002 Accessed August 14, 2006.
International Physical Activity Questionnaire Research Committee Guidelines for data processing and analysis of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) Available at: http://www.ipaq.ki.se/dloads/scoring%20short%20shortApril04.pdf/ Accessed August 14, 2006.
Edmonds MJ, Ferreira JK, Nikiforuk EA, Finnie AK, Leavey SH, Duncan AM, Randall Simpson JA. Body weight and percent body fat increase during the transition from high School to university in females. J Am Dietetic Assoc. 2008;108:1033–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Levitsky DA, Garay J, Nausbaum M, Neighbors L, DellaValle DM. Monitoring weight daily blocks the freshman weight gain: A model for combating the epidemic of obesity. Int J Obes. 2006;30:1003–10. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Brunt AR, Rhee YS. Obesity and lifestyle in U.S. college students related to living arrangements. J Appetite. 2008;51(3):615–21. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Sidik SM, RampaL L. The prevalence and factors associated with obesity among adult women in Selangor, Malaysia. Asia Pac Fam Med. 2009;8:2. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Okeyo AP. Eating practices, nutritional knowledge and body weight in nursing students at the university of Fort hare. 2009. Available at : etd.uovs.ac.za/ETD-db//theses/available/etd...114240/.../OkeyoAP.pd http://etd.uovs.ac.za/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-01282010-114240/unrestricted/OkeyoAP.pdf.
Galobrades B, Morabia A, Bernstein MS. The differential effect of education and occupation on body mass and overweight in a sample of working people of the general population. Ann Epid. 2000;10(8):532–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Nourmohamadi I, Goharabari MH. Nutritional knowledge and attitude and practice of medical and physician students. The Journal of Ghazvin University of Medical Science. 2001;19:68–80. [Google Scholar]
Navia B, Ortega RM, Requejo AM, Mena MC, Perea JM, López-Sobaler AM. Influence of the desire to lose weight on food habits, and knowledge of the characteristics of a balanced diet, in a group of Madrid university students. Eu J Clin Nutr. 2003;57(Suppl 1):S90–S93. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Croll JK, Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M. Healthy eating: What does it mean to adolescents? J Nutr Edu. 2001;33(4):193–8. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Loh SY. Perception of body image, self-esteem and weight reducing behaviors among four Chinese female students in two selected secondary schools Pudo Zone, Wilayah Persekutuan. Thesis Bachelor of Science in (Nutrition and Community Health) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Universiti Putra Malaysia. 2003 [Google Scholar]
Mammas IN, Bertsias GK, Linardakis M, Tzanakis NE, Labadarrios DN, Kafatos AG. Cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and serum lipid profile among medical students in Greece. Eu J Pub health. 2003;13(3):278–82. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Steptoe A, Wardle J, Cui W, Baban A, Glass K, Pelzer K, Tsuda A, Vinck J. An international comparison of tobacco smoking, beliefs and risk awareness in university students from 23 countries. J Add. 2002;97:1561–71. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Nicklas TA. Calcium intake trends and health consequences from childhood through adulthood. J Am Coll Nutr. 2003;22:340–56. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Cho S, Dietrich M, Brown CJP, Clark CA, Block G. The effect of breakfast type on total daily energy intake and Body Mass Index: Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) J Am Coll Nutr. 2003;22(4):296–302. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Soriano JM, Molto JC, Manes J. Dietary intake and food pattern among university students. J Nutr Research. 2000;20(9):1249–58. [Google Scholar]
Kimm SY, Obarzanek E. Childhood obesity: a new pandemic of the new millennium. J Ped. 2002;110:1003–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Ogden CL, Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Johnson CL. Prevalence and trends in overweight among U.S. children and adolescents, 1999–2000. J Am Med Assoc. 2002;288:1728–32. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Hajian-Tilaki KO, Heidari B. Prevalence of obesity, central obesityand the associated factors in urban population aged 20–70 years, in the north of Iran: a population-based study and regression approach. Obes Rev. 2007;8(1):3–10. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Leong YM. 2008. Relationship between pedometers determined physical activity and body composition variable among students of Universiti Putra Malaysia. Thesis Bachelor of Science in (Nutrition and Community Health), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia. [Google Scholar]
Chan DC, Watts GF, Barrett PHR, Burke V. Waist circumference, waist to hip ratio and body mass index as predictors of adipose tissue compartments in men. Oxford J Med. 2003;91:441–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Esmaillzadeh A, Mirmiran P, Azizi F. Comparative evaluation of anthropometric measures to predict cardiovascular risk factors in Tehranian adult women. Nutr Pub Health. 2005;9(1):61–9. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Dobbelsteyn CJ, Joffres MR, MacLean DR, Flowerdew G. A comparative evaluation of waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index as indicators of cardiovascular risk factors. The Canadian Heart Health Surveys. Int J Obes. 2001;25:652–61. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Foucan L, Hanley J, Deloumeaux J, Suissa S. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) as screening tools for cardiovascular risk factors in Guadeloupean women. J Clin Epid. 2002;55:990–6. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 Knowledge Kingdom Publishing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.