Assessment of Knowledge Regarding Healthy Eating Diets Among Students of Akhtar Saeed College of Nursing, Lahore
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Healthy dietary knowledge is essential for nursing students because they are future healthcare professionals expected to promote disease prevention, healthy lifestyle practices, and patient-centered dietary counseling. Adequate understanding of healthy diet can support students’ own wellbeing and strengthen their future role in health education. Objective: To assess the level of knowledge regarding healthy diet among students of Akhtar Saeed College of Nursing, Lahore. Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 161 nursing students selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using an adapted structured questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic variables and 17 knowledge statements related to healthy dietary practices, food groups, physical activity, salt, sugar, fats, refined grains, staple foods, and protein sources. Knowledge scores were converted into percentages and categorized using Bloom’s cutoff, with scores of 70% or above classified as good knowledge and scores below 70% classified as poor knowledge. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, and results were summarized using frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviation. Results: The mean knowledge score was 49.57 ± 4.26 out of 68, with a mean percentage score of 72.90 ± 6.26. Overall, 110 students (68.3%) had good knowledge, while 51 students (31.7%) had poor knowledge. Strong knowledge was observed regarding fruits and vegetables, dairy products, beans, physical activity, sugar intake, and protein sources; however, misconceptions were identified regarding refined grains, lard, staple foods, starch content, and body weight. Conclusion: Most nursing students demonstrated good knowledge regarding healthy diet, but targeted nutrition education is needed to correct specific misconceptions and improve applied dietary understanding
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
1. World Health Organization. Global strategy on diet, physical activity and health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004.
2. Hassan MR, Ghazi HF, Umar NS, Masri M, Azmin M, Omar S. Knowledge, attitude and practice of healthy eating and associated factors among university students in Selangor, Malaysia. Pak J Nutr. 2015;14(12):892.
3. Sakamaki R, Toyama K, Amamoto R, Liu CJ, Shinfuku N. Nutritional knowledge, food habits and health attitude of Chinese university students: a cross-sectional study. Nutr J. 2005;4:15.
4. Abu-Baker NN, Eyadat AM, Khamaiseh AM. The impact of nutrition education on knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding iron deficiency anemia among female adolescent students in Jordan. Heliyon. 2021;7(2):e06348.
5. Hammouh F, Abdullah M, Shalabi D, Hababeh M, Abu-Shaheen A, Al-Dmour H. Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Jordanian elderly: a cross-sectional study. Nutrients. 2023;15(9):2220.
6. Biswas B, Chowdhury AS, Rahman MM, Hossain MA. Knowledge and attitude about COVID-19 and importance of diet: a cross-sectional study among Bangladeshi people. Bangladesh J Food Nutr. 2024;1(1):4-12.
7. Kunadu APH, Ofosu DB, Aboagye E, Tano-Debrah K. Food safety knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices of food handlers in institutional foodservice in Accra, Ghana. Food Control. 2016;69:324-330.
8. Buccheri C, Casuccio A, Giammanco S, Giammanco M, La Guardia M, Mammina C. Food safety in hospital: knowledge, attitudes and practices of nursing staff of two hospitals in Sicily, Italy. BMC Health Serv Res. 2007;7:1-11.
9. Hyska J, Mersini E. Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices about public health nutrition among students of the University of Medicine in Tirana, Albania. South East Eur J Public Health. 2023.
10. Bashir R, Rizvi K. Assessment of levels of oral hygiene awareness, knowledge, attitude and practice among the students of a government school in Karachi. Br J Med Med Res. 2016;15(2):1-11.
11. Crowley J, Ball L, Hiddink GJ. Nutrition in medical education: a systematic review. Lancet Planet Health. 2019;3(9):e379-e389.
12. Hamulka J, Wadolowska L, Hoffmann M, Kowalkowska J, Gutkowska K. Effect of an education program on nutrition knowledge, attitudes toward nutrition, diet quality, lifestyle, and body composition in Polish teenagers: the ABC of healthy eating project: design, protocol, and methodology. Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1439.
13. Vivas A, Gelaye B, Aboset N, Kumie A, Berhane Y, Williams MA. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of hygiene among school children in Angolela, Ethiopia. J Prev Med Hyg. 2010;51(2):73-79.
14. Niringyiyimaana A. To assess dietary knowledge, attitudes and practices among diabetic patients receiving care at Kampala International University Teaching Hospital. Kampala: Kampala International University, School of Health Sciences; 2016.
15. Sabouhi F, Babaee S, Naji H, Zadeh AH. Knowledge, awareness, attitudes and practice about hypertension in hypertensive patients referring to public health care centers in Khoor & Biabanak, 2009. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2010;16(1):34-40.
16. Shaaban S, Nassar M, Abd Elhamid A, El-Gendy J. Nutritional knowledge and attitude of adolescent school girls living in Cairo. Res J Med Med Sci. 2009;4(2):421-427.
17. Yu Y, Han X, Yang M, Zhang L. Source: China Health and Nutrition Survey and Clement and Bonnefond questionnaire. 2020.