Diet and sleep quality in university students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v73.117943Keywords:
Diet, sleep, mental health, university students, chronotypeAbstract
Introduction: Diet and sleep quality are fundamental and determining factors for the overall well-being of university students.
Objective: To assess the quality of diet and sleep among university students.
Methodology: A cross-sectional, descriptive, and observational study was conducted with a sample of 1,871 students from a public university in the city of Guayaquil. To assess diet quality, the validated Healthy Eating Index questionnaire was used, while sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).
Results: The data showed that the majority of both male and female participants reported daily consumption of cereals and derivatives (62.6%), as well as meats (76.5%). Weekly intake (1 to 2 times per week) was observed for vegetables (36.1%), fruits (27.2%), dairy products (41%), processed meats (27.6%), and sweets (28.7%). Legumes (33.5%) and sugar-sweetened beverages (32.5%) were consumed three or more times per week, but not daily. According to the Healthy Eating Index, 56.7% of participants required dietary changes, with 98.6% lacking variety in their food intake. Regarding sleep quality, 62.8% of the students were found to have poor sleep quality.
Discussion: The findings of this study are consistent with, and in some cases contrast with, previous research conducted on university student populations.
Conclusions: Although no association was found between diet quality and sleep quality, a high prevalence of poor sleep and inadequate eating habits was evident among the participants.
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