Nutrition and Dietary Supplements (Jun 2021)
Assessment of Healthy Diet and Physical Activity Among Students of Mekelle University, Northern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Gebrezabher Niguse Hailu, Haftu Berhe Gebru, Desta Siyoum Belay School of Nursing, Mekelle University, Mekelle, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Gebrezabher Niguse Hailu Email [email protected]: The promotion and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle remains a persistent challenge globally. As a result, the deleterious effects of chronic diseases are escalating globally. But, nevertheless healthy diet and physical activity practices are not yet assessed among university students in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing healthy diet and physical activity among Mekelle university students from September 2019 to June 2020.Methods: We used cross-sectional study design and the study was carried out at Mekelle University among undergraduate students. Data collected by using normalized and pre-tested questionnaire. Binary logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with diet and physical activity. Multivariable analysis was used to determine significant predictors of healthy diet and physical activity.Results: The practice of healthy diet and physical activity was 68.20% (poor), 31.75% (good) and 59.70% (poor), 40.3% (good), respectively. This study showed that college (AOR: 0.69, CI: [0.034-0.137], AOR: 0.20, 95% CI: [0.104-0.391]) and parent’s resident (AOR: 1.331, 95% CI: [0.156-0.698]) were significant predictors of healthy diet practice of study participants, whereas gender (AOR: 3.909, 95% CI: [2.549– 5.993]) and year of education (AOR: 0.411, 95% CI: [0.204-0.826]), college (AOR: 0.358, 95% CI: [0.212-0.604]), were significantly associated with physical activity practice.Conclusion: The study revealed that the majority of the study participants were poor in both healthy diet and physical activity practices.Keywords: healthy diet, physical activity, university students, Mekelle, Ethiopia
