Exploration of the Dietary and Lifestyle Behaviors and Weight Status and Their Self-Perceptions among Health Sciences University Students in North Lebanon
Table 2
Appetite changes and dietary and lifestyle behaviors.
Total ( = 369)
Junior ( = 193)
Senior ( = 176)
Number
%
Number
%
Number
%
Current appetite status compared to before going to university
Same
126
34.1
77
39.9
49
27.8
6.405
0.041
Increased
127
34.4
58
30.1
69
39.2
Decreased
116
31.4
58
30.1
58
33.0
Eating in response to exam related stress
No
152
41.2
71
36.8
81
46.0
4.135
0.242
Yes
167
45.3
91
47.2
76
43.2
Sometimes
44
11.9
27
14.0
17
9.7
Rarely
6
1.6
4
2.1
2
1.1
Number of main meals
One
16
4.3
4
2.1
12
6.8
5.934
0.115
Two
169
45.8
86
44.6
83
47.2
Three
162
43.9
91
47.2
71
40.3
More than three
22
6.0
12
6.2
10
5.7
Number of snacks
Zero
21
5.7
9
4.7
12
6.8
2.580
0.631
One
111
30.1
62
32.1
49
27.8
Two
133
36.0
68
35.2
65
36.9
Three
63
17.1
30
15.5
33
18.8
More than three
41
11.1
24
12.4
17
9.7
Types of snacks
No snacks
4
1.1
0
0.0
4
2.3
2.036
= 0.156
Fruit/fruit juice/yogurt
85
23.0
50
25.9
35
19.9
Biscuits/cakes
16
4.3
12
6.2
4
2.3
Fried potatoes
6
1.6
3
1.6
3
1.7
Sweets/chocolate/cake
70
19.0
38
19.7
32
18.2
Combinations
181
49.1
86
44.6
95
54.0
Other
7
1.9
4
2.1
3
1.7
Regular breakfast intake
Yes
227
61.5
125
64.8
102
58.0
1.805
0.179
No
142
38.5
68
35.2
74
42.0
Type of preferred breakfast
Mankoush or pastries
329
89.2
179
92.7
150
85.2
7.605
0.099
Biscuits
7
1.9
1
0.5
6
3.4
Cereal
8
2.2
3
1.6
5
2.8
Sandwich
13
3.5
4
2.1
9
5.1
Other
12
3.3
6
3.1
6
3.4
Preferred method for food preparation for main meals
Frying
127
34.4
70
36.3
57
32.4
0.831
0.660
Boiling
91
24.7
48
24.9
43
24.4
Grilling
151
40.9
75
38.9
76
43.2
Consumption of energy drinks
Never
283
76.7
141
73.1
142
80.7
6.579
0.142
Rarely
34
9.2
19
9.8
15
8.5
1-2 times per week
42
11.4
24
12.4
18
10.2
2-3 times per week
7
1.9
6
3.1
1
0.6
More than 3 times/week
3
0.8
3
1.6
0
0.0
Eating for comfort
Yes
209
56.6
106
54.9
103
58.5
0.486
0.486
No
160
43.4
87
45.1
73
41.5
Intake of coffee or tea directly after meals
Yes
145
39.3
82
42.5
63
35.8
1.728
0.189
No
224
60.7
111
57.5
113
64.2
Cravings for high fat/sugar foods
Never
250
67.8
129
66.8
121
68.8
1.332
0.856
Once/month
38
10.3
23
11.9
15
8.5
2–4 times
32
8.7
17
8.8
15
8.5
2-3 times
28
7.6
14
7.3
14
8.0
4 times
21
5.7
10
5.2
11
6.3
Preferred activities during free time
Walking
38
10.3
14
7.3
24
13.6
9.639
0.047
Watching TV/listening to music
250
67.8
127
65.8
123
69.9
Practicing a sport
49
13.3
30
15.5
19
10.8
Shopping
22
6.0
14
7.3
8
4.5
Other
10
2.7
8
4.1
2
1.1
Screen time
1 h-2 h a day
149
40.4
83
43.0
66
37.5
1.611
0.657
3 h-4 h a day
136
36.9
70
36.3
66
37.5
5 h-6 h a day
48
13.0
22
11.4
26
14.8
More than 6 h a day
36
9.8
18
9.3
18
10.2
Eating meals while watching TV or at the computer
Yes
219
59.3
129
66.8
90
51.1
9.409
0.002
No
150
40.7
64
33.2
86
48.9
Smoking status
Never
284
77.0
152
78.8
132
75.0
4.074
0.254
Previous smoker
3
0.8
0
0.0
3
1.7
Occasionally
43
11.7
20
10.4
23
13.1
Regular smoker
39
10.6
21
10.9
18
10.2
Statistically significant at ≤ 0.05. MC: Monte Carlo for Chi square test.
