Energy and macronutrient intake and dietary pattern among Universidade Lusófona students – a pilot study

• Author(s): Marcos, Joana ; Carriço, Raquel ; Tavares, Nelson ; Sá, Carla
• Date: 2020
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/22288
• Origin: Biblioteca Digital do IPB
• Subject(s): Food frequency questionnaire; Recommended intake; University students
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English
• Contributor(s): Biblioteca Digital do IPB

Description

Food choices for adopting a healthy lifestyle are influenced by a set of factors. Early adulthood and university entry are crucial for the development of eating habits that will be decisive in quality of life. In Portugal, there are few studies that assess the nutritional status of university students. The main objective of this study, as a pilot study, was to characterize the dietary habits of university students at Universidade Lusófona in Lisbon, Portugal. This cross-sectional descriptive study included university students, aged between 18 and 28 years old. Anthropometric data were collected, and body mass index was calculated. The dietary habits were assessed through a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, administered directly. The average daily intake values were: energy, 2282.9 ± 954.0 kcal, 243.2 g of carbohydrates, 114.2 g of proteins, and 100.9 g of lipids. These values include a protein intake of 25.40%, 52.11% carbohydrate and 22.47% lipids. It was concluded that there is an increase in protein and lipid intake in samples from the university students evaluated.