Dietary Habits, BMI, and Demographic Characteristics affect the Academic Performance of University Students in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study

Rola A. Jalloun¹ and Ahlam B. El Shikieri^2,

¹Nutrition and Food Science Department, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawarah, Saudi Arabia, Postal code: 41411, P.O.Box 344

²Clinical Nutrition Department, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawarah, Saudi Arabia

Cite this paper:
Rola A. Jalloun and Ahlam B. El Shikieri. Dietary Habits, BMI, and Demographic Characteristics affect the Academic Performance of University Students in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study. Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. 2021; 9(3):136-141. doi: 10.12691/jfnr-9-3-5

Abstract

Background: Students' academic performance remains one of the ongoing debate topics among educators, academicians, and policy-makers. We aimed to assess the effect of dietary habits, demographic characteristics, and body mass index (BMI) on academic performance. Method: An epidemiological, cross-sectional, retrospective study design was conducted. Data were collected from 385 full-time Saudi undergraduate students at Taibah University. They aged between 18-24 years old. Students were asked about their breakfast, fast food, and soft drink consumption and their daily number of meals. Information about their gender, residence in hostels, and smoking status were obtained. Grade point average (GPA) was used to assess academic performance. BMI was also calculated. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software program version 20. Results: More females (n = 290; 75.3%) than males were included. High academic performers were non-smokers (P < 0.0005) and didn't stay in hostels (P = 0.026). BMI associated negatively with academic performance. Females had better academic performance (95%) compared to males (58%, P <0.0005), GPA (2.72 vs 3.53, P <0.0005 respectively), lower number of meals (Mean: 2.31 vs 1.99), and low prevalence of overweight/obesity (43% vs 30%). Conclusion: Nutrition education programs targeting Taibah University students are to be developed to raise awareness about the importance of healthy eating and normal body weight.

Keywords:
dietary habits demographic characteristics BMI academic performance university students Al Madinah Al Munawarah Saudi Arabia

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	Kassarnig, V. et al. Academic performance and behavioral patterns. EPJ Data Sci. (2018).
[2]	Wald, A., Muennig, P. A., O'Connell, K. A. & Garber, C. E. Associations between healthy lifestyle behaviors and academic performance in U.S. undergraduates: A secondary analysis of the american college health association's national college health assessment ii. Am. J. Heal. Promot. (2014).
[3]	Valladares, M. et al. Association between Eating Behavior and Academic Performance in University Students. J. Am. Coll. Nutr. (2016).
[4]	Moradi-Lakeh, M. et al. Diet in Saudi Arabia: Findings from a nationally representative survey. Public Health Nutrition (2017).
[5]	Alzeidan, R. A., Rabiee, F., Mandil, A. A., Hersi, A. S. & Ullah, A. A. Changes in dietary habits, physical activity and status of metabolic syndrome among expatriates in Saudi Arabia. East. Mediterr. Heal. J. (2017).
[6]	Lissner, L., Johansson, S. E., Qvist, J., Rössner, S. & Wolk, A. Social mapping of the obesity epidemic in Sweden. Int. J. Obes. (2000).
[7]	Alqarni, M.S. S. A Review of Prevalence of Obesity in Saudi Arabia. J. Obes. Eat. Disord. (2016).
[8]	Alshaikh, M. K. et al. The ticking time bomb in lifestyle-related diseases among women in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries; review of systematic reviews. BMC Public Health (2017).
[9]	Wald, A., Muennig, P. A., O'Connell, K. A. & Garber, C. E. Associations between healthy lifestyle behaviors and academic performance in U.S. undergraduates: A secondary analysis of the american college health association's national college health assessment ii. Am. J. Heal. Promot. (2014).
[10]	Arasegowda R, Rani NA, Mukherjee P & Nusrath A. Assessment of dietary trends and its impact on academic performance among young adult medical students of a tertiary care teaching hospital Int J Med Sci Pub Health 2016; 5(11): 2346-50.
[11]	Nasr Eldeen SK, Alssadh H, Mashharawy S Associations between Good Dietary Intake Habits and Sleep Quality with Academic Achievement among Inaya Medical College Students. Ann Public Health Res 2018; 5(4): 1084-7.
[12]	Vassiloudis, I., Yiannakouris, N., Panagiotakos, D. B., Apostolopoulos, K. & Costarelli, V. Academic Performance in Relation to Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Energy Balance Behaviors in Greek Primary Schoolchildren. J. Nutr. Educ. Behav. (2014).
[13]	Kobayashi, F. Academic achievement, BMI, and fast food intake of American and Japanese college students. Nutr. Food Sci. 2009.
[14]	Tobin, K. J. Fast-food consumption and educational test scores in the USA. Child. Care. Health Dev. 2013.
[15]	Deshpande, S., Basil, M. D. & Basil, D. Z. Factors influencing healthy eating habits among college students: An application of the health belief model. Health Mark. Q. 2009; 26,145-64.
[16]	Ickovics, J. R. et al. Health and academic achievement: Cumulative effects of health assets on standardized test scores among urban youth in the United States. J. Sch. Health 2014.
[17]	Miller, K. E. Energy Drinks, Race, and Problem Behaviors Among College Students. J. Adolesc. Heal. 2008.
[18]	Sun, J. et al. Factors associated with skipping breakfast among Inner Mongolia Medical students in China. BMC Public Health 2013.
[19]	Peter R. Reuter, Bridget L. Forster & Sierra R. Brister. The influence of eating habits on the academic performance of university students J Am Coll Health 2020.
[20]	Rampersaud, G. C., Pereira, M. A., Girard, B. L., Adams, J. & Metzl, J. D. Breakfast habits, nutritional status, body weight, and academic performance in children and adolescents. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2005; 105: 743-60.
[21]	Correa-Burrows, P., Burrows, R., Blanco, E., Reyes, M. & Gahagan, S. Nutritional quality of diet and academic performance in Chilean students. Bull. World Health Organ. 2016.
[22]	Al-Rethaiaa, A. S., Fahmy, A.-E. A. & Al-Shwaiyat, N. M. Obesity and eating habits among college students in Saudi Arabia: A cross sectional study. Nutr. J.2010; 9: 39
[23]	Hassan N, Hassan T Female Students get More Marks as Compared to Male Students: A Statistical Study. J Bus Fin Affair 2016; 5: 226.
[24]	Arasegowda R, Rani NA, Mukherjee P, Nusrath A, Assessment of dietary trends and its impact on academic performance among young adult medical students of a tertiary care teaching hospital Int J Med Sci Pub Health 2016; 5(11): 2346-50.
[25]	Azhar M, Nadeem S, Naz F, Perveen F & Sameen A Impact of parental education and socio-economic status on academic achievements of university students International Journal of Academic Research and Reflection 2013; 1(3): 25-33.
[26]	Khan FR, Alshekili NSH, Al Badi AS, Al Khanbashi HA, Exploring the Impact of Hostel Life of Students on Academic Performance: Sohar University – a case study Inter J Res Entrepr Bus Studies 2020; 1(1): 1-14.
[27]	Owolabi BO The Effects of Students' Housing on Academic Performance at the University of Ibadan in Nigerian Inter J Scien Eng Res 2015; 6(3): 1118-32.
[28]	He J, Chen X, Fan X, Cai Z, Huang F Is there a relationship between body mass index and academic achievement? A meta-analysis Public Health 2019; 167: 111-24.
[29]	Kobayashi, F. Academic achievement, BMI, and fast food intake of American and Japanese college students, Nutrition & Food Science, 2009; 39(5): 555-566.
[30]	Wehigaldeniya WGDS, Oshani PAL, KumaraHeight IMNS, Weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Academic Performance (AP) of University Students in Sri Lanka: With Special Reference to the University of Kelaniya Inter J Sci Res Pub 2017; 7(2): 217-9.
[31]	Alfawaz HA The Relationship Between Fast Food Consumption and BMI among University Female Students Pakistan J Nutr 2012; 11(5): 406-410.
[32]	Shatabdi Goon, Munmun Shabnam Bipasha, Md. Saiful Islam. Fast Food Consumption and Obesity Risk among University Students of Bangladesh. European Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2014; 2(6): 99-104.