Assessment of Dietary Pattern Among Medical Students of Ebonyi State University

BackgroundPoor eating habits are a major public health concern among young adults who experience transition into university life during which they are exposed to stress and lack of time. This study was designed to assess dietary patterns among medical students of Ebonyi State University, Southeastern Nigeria. MethodologyThe study was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out with systematic random probability sampling for consenting medical students of Ebonyi State University. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Data entry and analysis were done using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical package version 25. ResultThe majority of the students, 228 (55.2%), aged between 20 and 24 years, and they were predominantly 231 (55.9%) females. Almost all,401 (97.1%) of the students were single, and 400 (96.9%) were Christians. On their monthly allowances, 149 (36.1%) and 127 (30.8%) receive less than 10,000 naira and between 10,000 and 20,000 naira, respectively. There is a significant association between the religion of the participants and the determinants of their dietary pattern (t=2.486; P=0.013<0.05).Again,there is a significant association between the level of study of the participants and the determinants of their dietary pattern (F=2.702; P=0.030<0.05). Also, there is a significant association between the monthly allowances received by the students and the determinants of their dietary pattern (F=3.705; P=0.006<0.05). ConclusionOur findings show that the majority of the medical students have poor attitudes towards diet and low/poor dietary diversity. Also,majority of the students use the selected food 2 to 3 days a week in the past 12 months. Time constraints and proximity of the needed food are the two major determinants of dietary pattern among the medical students. Thus, nutritional intervfentions should be implemented at an individual, family, community, and national levels.