Evaluation Of The Dietary And Nutritional Status Of College Freshmen By The Dietary Balance Index

Freshmen are special groups in late adolescence which is a critical stage of development. It is a long time for them to adapt to the university life. When they are confronted with various foods, they often don't know how to choose. Therefore, adequate and reasonable nutrition may play an important role for the growth and development and physical health. Traditional methods of evaluating the diet is to calculate the average intake of dietary food and nutrients. They could only reflect the dietary problems on one hand, but could not evaluate the overall dietary quality and the calculation is rather complicated. Some researchers have established the Chinese Dietary Balance Index (DBI) which use food group as an index, but the report about evaluating population dietary quality by the DBI is rare, especially evaluating the dietary quality of college students by the DBI. Therefore, in this investigation we evaluated the dietary and nutritional status comprehensively and systematically by the DBI in addition to nutrients calculation methods, analyzed the related factors and explored the existing dietary problem.ObjectivesTo evaluate the dietary and nutritional status comprehensively and systematically by the dietary balance index in addition to nutrients calculation methods, to analyze the related factors, to explore the existing dietary problems and to provide a basis for the nutrition education and targeted interventions.MethodsThe freshmen were randomly selected by cluster sampling from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and investigated with a dietary survey of the 3 - day continuous 24 - hour reviewed method . The diet quality was evaluated by DBI and nutrients calculation methods respectively.Results1. The results indicated that 20.0% of the freshmen were malnourished, 6.2% were overweight and 0.9% were obesity. The problem of malnutrition in girls was especially serious. The inadequate intake rates of calcium, vitamin A and vitamin B2 were above 80%, and the inadequate intake rates of vitamin B1 and vitamin C were about 70%. Some nutritional deficiency disease was very prevalent, mainly represented in the skin and hair (dry, squamous skin, keratosis follicularis), eye symptoms (burning sensation), gum (pine swelling, hyperemia, dental caries, etc.), gastrointestinal symptoms (constipation, diarrhea, etc.) and other body parts. Nearly half of the students had medical history such as dizziness, frequent infections, headaches and insomnia.2. In addition to calcium, the vitamin B2 and vitamin A intake, the energy and other nutrients intake of boys were significantly higher than those of girls. Household income had a significant effect on the protein, fat, calcium, vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 intake, but had no significant effect on other nutrients intake. The protein, fat, calcium, vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 intake of the students whose monthly living expenses below 500 Yuan, were significantly less than the students whose monthly living expenses above 500 Yuan. In addition to energy and vitamin A, the other nutrients intake of the students whose monthly meals expenses below 300 Yuan, were significantly less than the students whose monthly meals expenses above 300 Yuan. The energy, protein, carbohydrates, iron, vitamin B1 and vitamin PP intake of the students who ate midnight snack were significantly higher than the students who didn't eat midnight snack.3. The nutrition knowledge of college freshmen was poor. Only 3 students answered all the questions correctly, accounting for 0.52%. There were 4 questions which were answered correctly by more than 50% students, and 6 questions which were answered correctly by less than 50% students. About 338 students got a total score ranged 0 to 6, accounting for 58.4%, and 241 students got a total score range 7 to 10, accounting for 31.6%. The higher nutrition knowledge score were associated with a significant higher intake frequency of the milk and its products, fruits, meat, poultry and fish, eggs, soybeans and their products. About 71.0% of the students learned about nutrition knowledge from newspapers and magazines. About 41.6% of the students selected food mainly based on taste and eating habits.4. Diet Balance Index evaluation results indicated that college freshmen still had major problems in inadequate intake of milk and beans, animal food, vegetables and fruits. According to the recommendation, the rational DBI score ranges from -2 to 2. The results showed that the students whose DBI score of milk and beans fallen in this range only accounted for 9.6%, animal food only accounted for 27.4%, and fruits and vegetables only accounted for 28.3%. The problem of milk and beans inadequate intake was the most serious. At the same time, the problems of excessive food intake also exist. Cereals and animal food were ingested excessively with the proportion of 5.0% and 47.3% respectively. In addition, the food was not variegated enough. About 48.8% of the students had the DBI scores ranged -8 to -4.ConclusionsThe nutritional problems of freshmen were very prominent, and the nutrition knowledge of freshmen was very poor. Food consumption ability was one of the important factors to affect the nutritional status and food choice. It is necessary to carry out targeted nutrition education and provide living allowance. Diet Balance Index is a useful tool to evaluate food quality.