Influencia de los factores socioeconómicos y hábitos alimentarios en el estado nutricional de los estudiantes de la Carrera de Nutrición y Dietética de la Universidad de Cuenca, período marzo - julio 2020

Abstract

Background: Socioeconomic factors and eating habits influence the nutritional status of students, altering the quality of the diet. This alteration can be reflected either with a deficit or an excess of nutrients, which leads to an alteration of the metabolism, intervening in the academic performance of the students. Objective: To determine the influence of socioeconomic factors and eating habits on the nutritional status of the students of the Nutrition and Dietetics Degree at the University of Cuenca, March - July 2020. Methodology: A total of 92 students between 18 to 26 years old who studied Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Cuenca was used. The techniques used with the students were: the application of surveys, used to establish their socioeconomic level and to know their eating habits; and anthropometric measurements were also taken to determine their nutritional status. For the analysis of the data, the Microsoft Excel 2013 and EPIDAT 4 version 4.2 programs were used. Results: The normal nutritional status of the students was 69.57% and 30.43% with malnutrition due to excess and deficit. Regarding the socioeconomic level, it was obtained that 43.48% belong to the typical middle class (C +), the rest are divided between the upper class (A), upper middle (B) and lower middle (C-); normal nutritional status prevailed in all the strata. In relation to eating habits, it was obtained that the majority of students need changes in their diet, specifically 72.83%. Conclusions: The factor that has the greatest influence on the nutritional status of students is the eating habits, comparing them with socioeconomic level, since it depends on other factors to affect the nutritional status.