Assessment of Nutrition Knowledge, Perceived Stress, Physical Activity and Nutritional Status of Undergraduate Students of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria

Abstract

Undergraduate students are so concerned about academic activities that they pay less attention to their nutritional status and general wellbeing. A cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the nutrition knowledge, perceived stress, physical activity and nutritional status was carried out on 142 undergraduate students of the Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria. The socio-demographic characteristics, nutrition knowledge and dietary habits, perceived stress (using Perceived Stress Scale, PSS-10), physical activity level (using Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, GPAQ) were assessed through online questionnaire form (survey kobo toolbox). Anthropometric indices were measured using stadiometer and digital weighing scale, haemoglobin and glucose levels were determined using haemoglobin test meter and glucometer, respectively. Results showed that majority of the respondents were males (66.2 %). Most respondents (60.60 %) ate two meals per day. The majority (75.35 %) of the students had very good nutrition knowledge and had mostly (75.4 %) medium perceived stress. Sedentary behaviour for males and females was found to be 325.00 ± 28.26 mins/week 418.00 ± 35.16 mins/week, respectively. Results further revealed that 3.50 % of the students were obese, 4.90 % overweight, 21.20 % underweight. The haemoglobin concentration (g/dL) were 12.93 ± 1.62 for males and 13.25 ± 1.22 for females and the glucose concentration (mmol/L) were 4.75 ± 1.16 for males and 4.66 ± 0.59 for females. Our findings suggest that majority of the students had good nutrition knowledge, normal nutritional status, medium perceived stress but poor physical activity.