Quality of life and exposition to unhealthy lifestyle risk factors of nocturnal university students from a greater metropolitan city

Abstract

Quality of life is affected by many factors which are linked to psychological stress and anxiety, and unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits. The present study had the objective of evaluate the quality of life and dietary habits of students from a private university in Sao Paulo (SP), Brazil. Quality of life was evaluated by the “WHOQOL-bref” questionnaire. Dietary habits were evaluated by a food frequency questionnaire. A representative sample of 72 students was randomly selected. Inadequate weekly dietary intake of fats (75%) and sedentary behavior were higher (55.5%). In relation to the quality of life, 7% had considered bad, and 41.7% were not satisfied with themselves. Furthermore, 14.4% reported having affective problems (anxiety, depression, bad mood, and desperate feelings) frequently or always, and 32.4%, sometimes. 8.33% were not satisfied with their body appearance. 50% reported ingested meat and meat products at least 5 times per week. Dietary intake of fruits (18%), vegetables (23.62%), and cereals (15.28%) at least 5 times per week was very lower, considering the nutritional recommendations. On the contrary, the dietary intake of legumes, specially beans, reached 44.45% at least 5 times a week. It should be concluded that sedentary behavior and dietary fat intake were higher, whereas dietary intake of fruits, vegetables, and cereals was very poor. Those students were too much afflicted by affective and self-esteem disorders.