Hábitos alimentares de estudantes do curso de nutrição de uma universidade privada

Abstract

Objective: this study aims to analyze whether students' knowledge of nutrition, acquired throughout college, positively influences their eating habits or not. Method: this is an observational cross-sectional study in which data were collected through an online form answered by adult students from any period of the Nutrition Course at PUC GO. Sociodemographic data and responses to the questionnaire developed by Gabe and Jaime were collected to evaluate the eating practices of adult individuals in accordance with the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population. Results: in the sample studied, 86% were female and 67% were over 20 years old, 60% identified themselves as white and 37% had a family income ≥ 4 minimum wages. The total average score was 45 points. There was a significant difference both in the average score (p=0.015) and in the “food choices” category between the 1st and 8th period (p=0.016). Conclusion: it is concluded that throughout the course there was an improvement in eating habits, probably due to the knowledge acquired about food and its importance for health throughout the course. With this, the importance of food and nutritional education can be seen, because in the same way that knowledge positively influences nutrition students, it can improve the eating practices of the rest of the population.