Body weight, eating practices and nutritional knowledge amongst university nursing students, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Abstract

BackgroundHealth care workers need to be equipped to deal with the increasing obesity and obesity-related morbidity occurring in developing countries.ObjectivesTo assess weight status, eating practices and nutritional knowledge amongst nursing students at the University of Fort Hare, Eastern Cape.MethodA cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted on 161 undergraduate (51 male and 110 female) students of the Department of Nursing Sciences at the University of Fort Hare. Body mass index, waist and hip circumferences and waist hip ratio were determined. Nutritional knowledge and eating practices were investigated by structured interviewer-administered questionnaires.ResultsStatically, 49.7% were overweight or obese (58.2% of the females; 31.4% of the males) and 65.2% had waist circumferences putting them at risk for non-communicable diseases. Most did not meet the recommendations for intakes from the vegetable group (97.5% ate <3 servings per day), the fruit group (42.2% ate <2 servings per day), and the dairy group (92.6% ate <2 servings per day); whilst 78.3% ate ≥4 serving per day of sugar or sweets. Most consumed margarine, oil or fat (68.3%), sugar (59.0%) and bread (55.9%) daily, but few reported daily intakes of vegetables (12.4%), fruit (23.6%), fruit juice (21.2%) and milk (15.6%). Fewer than 50% knew the recommended intakes for vegetables, fruit, dairy, starchy foods and meat or meat alternatives.ConclusionsThese nursing students had a high prevalence of overweight and obesity, poor eating habits and inadequate knowledge on key nutrition issues, which may impact negatively on their efficacy as future health ambassadors to the public.

Nutritional status of undergraduate healthcare students at the University of the Free State

“…[16][17][18][19] However, the figures are lower than those recorded in the same year at the University of Fort Hare, Eastern Cape, where 96.3% of the predominantly black nursing students were found to be overweight and obese. 31 Although race was not recorded in the current study, obtained information from the enrolment office of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State indicates that in 2007, more than 50% of the students in the faculty were white.…”

“…Meat was also consumed on a daily basis by most of the predominantly white, female group and at higherthan-recommended amounts, with a relatively low intake of starch food, in contrast with the predominantly black nursing students at Fort Hare who consumed meat on a weekly basis, and starch food on a daily basis. 31 Fruit, vegetables and legumes are sources of vitamins and minerals, as well as a wide variety of phytochemicals which protect against NCDs, such as CVD, type 2 diabetes and cancer, by various mechanisms which include acting as antioxidants that scavenge free radicals, enhancing the performance of the liver detoxification enzyme systems and suppressing cancer cell initiation and/or proliferation. 32,33 These food groups are also important sources of soluble fibre, which protect against CVD 34 and cancer.…”

Food consumption, lifestyle patterns, and body mass index of a group of white South African students

“…Varying results are reported in other recent South African student studies where weight and height measurements were obtained by trained researchers. In a predominantly white group of students at the University of the Free State, 19.8% were overweight or obese (Van den Berg et al, ), while in a mainly black group of nursing students from the Eastern Cape, 31.7% and 15.0%, respectively, were overweight or obese (Van den Berg et al, ). In the comparative study by Peltzer et al () involving students from 22 low, middle, and emerging economies, it is reported that only 55.1% of the South African female students had a normal BMI, with 25.3% classified as overweight and 15.6% as being obese.…”

“…Lately a number of South African researchers have dealt with several aspects relating to the food adolescents and young adults tend to consume (Audain, Kassier, & Veldman, ; Gresse, Steenkamp, & Pietersen, ; Kroone & Alant, ; Sedibe et al, ; Van den Berg et al, ; Van den Berg, Okeyo, Dannhauser, & Nel, ; Van Zyl, Steyn, & Marais, ). The connection between food intake and lifestyle behavior of South African student groups in specific regions of the country is another topic of interest (Gresse et al, ; Janse van Rensburg & Surujlal, ; Van den Berg et al, , ). Another study specifically compared the eating and drinking behavior of Health Science students, who are supposed to be more knowledgeable, with those of other students at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth (Gresse et al, ).…”

Dietary habits, obesity and university life for nurse undergraduates

“…The sample was shown to have an even higher prevalence of overweight and obesity (50%) coupled with poor eating habits and inadequate knowledge of basic nutritional issues. Again, the authors questioned the students' future capability of being professional role models for a healthy society (van den Berg et al, 2012).…”