engleski

Nutritional status and eating habits in association with mental health of university students in Eastern Croatia

Aim of this research was to investigate association between eating habits, nutritional status and mental health of university students in Eastern Croatia. Data was collected through systematic examination of first-year students of 10 different faculties at University in Osijek in Eastern Croatia during academic year 2013/14. Body mass index (BMI), questionnaire containing Rosenberg’s scale of self-esteem, short 6-item CES-D scale for depressive mood and questions regarding eating habits were obtained and analyzed. Total of 1035 students were examined, 706 females and 329 males. Normal BMI had 68.7% of students, 10% were underweight, 15.7% were overweight and 5.6% were obese. Students have satisfactory eating habits, 49% eat breakfast every day and has a cooked meal almost every day. Only 1% of students never eats breakfast and rarely or never eats cooked meal. There was no significant difference in self-esteem and depressive mood or nutritional status with regard to eating habits. Adipose students have significantly higher self-esteem than all other students. None of adipose male students had low self-esteem. None of morbidly obese students had low self-esteem. Depressive mood was significantly more frequent among adipose females than among adipose males, which is probably result of higher pressure that females feel regarding physical appearance. Adipose students have surprisingly high self-esteem which is not consistent with literature data that suggests that lack of self-esteem in the childhood is one of the causes of obesity. Association between eating habits and nutritional status or mental health was not established

Nutritional status ; eating habits ; mental health ; students

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