Risky Behaviours of Spanish University Students: Association with Mediterranean Diet, Sexual Attitude and Chronotype

Abstract

The most common drugs that are consumed by young people are alcohol and tobacco, which are especially prevalent in universities. These risk behaviours can be determined by a series of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the consumption of alcohol and tobacco by Spanish university students and the relationship between the Mediterranean diet, sexual attitudes and opinions, and chronotype. A multicentre observational study enrolled 457 students from two public universities in Spain. The study period was from December 2017 to January 2018. The majority of the participants consumed alcohol (90.2%), tobacco consumption was low (27.2%), with a high percentage of students (78.6%) having a low dependence on nicotine. The surveyed students demonstrated a high adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which was shown to be associated with less risky alcohol consumption. The Mediterranean diet is a part of healthy lifestyle, and avoiding heavy drinking results in the intention to maintain such a lifestyle. In addition, unhealthy eating habits (skipping breakfast, eating sweets and pastries daily, and fast-food consumption) had a tendency to induce risky alcohol consumption. Therefore, to promote healthy lifestyle habits, it is considered important to establish programs that promote healthy diets in university settings and to evaluate them periodically.

Alcohol Consumption by Italian and Spanish University Students in Relation to Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and to the Food Neophobia: A Pilot Study

“…Therefore, no typical MD foods had the greatest impact on our sample, especially among Spaniards. In agreement, in the study conducted by Rodríguez-Muñoz et al [ 16 ] the Spanish university students who declared going to a fast-food restaurant more than once a week, and eating sweets and candy several times every day, had a higher tendency to be at risk of excessive alcohol consumption [ 16 ].…”

“…In the study conducted by López-Moreno et al [ 15 ], the questionnaire from the PREDIMED study (MDS-14) was used, and it was reported that a high percentage of the students did not reach the intake of wine for the assignment of one point. On the other hand, Rodríguez-Muñoz et al [ 16 ] and Carlos et al [ 14 ] used the Mediterranean diet quality index for children and adolescents (KIDMED), not including alcoholic beverages, to evaluate the relationship between hazardous alcohol use and MD adherences in Spanish university students. Rodríguez-Muñoz et al [ 16 ] reported that the students who declared eating fruit or drinking fruit juice every day, appreciating pulses, and using olive oil, had a lower tendency to drink heavily, assessed with AUDIT.…”

“…On the other hand, Rodríguez-Muñoz et al [ 16 ] and Carlos et al [ 14 ] used the Mediterranean diet quality index for children and adolescents (KIDMED), not including alcoholic beverages, to evaluate the relationship between hazardous alcohol use and MD adherences in Spanish university students. Rodríguez-Muñoz et al [ 16 ] reported that the students who declared eating fruit or drinking fruit juice every day, appreciating pulses, and using olive oil, had a lower tendency to drink heavily, assessed with AUDIT. Carlos et al [ 14 ] found no relationship between the level of alcohol consumption and the degree of adherence to MD [ 14 ].…”

“…When the compliance with the recommendations of the MD pyramid was evaluated among Italians, the regular consumption of fruits and vegetables was significantly more common in females, and it increased with age and education (84.7% of those with a university degree) [ 13 ]. Controversial results came from studies that evaluated the relationship between alcohol consumption and adherence to the MD in Spain [ 14 , 15 , 16 ]; however, in addition to high alcohol intake, factors that predicted a worse diet in Spanish university students included male gender and living alone [ 17 ]. The university population is divided into two categories: those who live with their parents and those who live away from home [ 18 ].…”

Individual Circadian Preference, Eating Disorders and Obesity in Children and Adolescents: A Dangerous Liaison? A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis

“…The Mediterranean diet, characterized by high intake of fruit, vegetables, legumes, cereals, and using olive oil as the main lipid, is considered a healthy diet [ 44 ]. Several studies report that M-type adolescents have a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet [ 22 , 45 ] and consume low industrially processed foods.…”