Nutrition Awareness and Oral Health among Dental Patients in Palestine: A Cross-Sectional Study

Table 3

Dietary habits and practices according to gender presented in n (%).

		Total		Male		Female		value
		n	%	n	%	n	%
Are the meals consistent throughout the days	Always	15	11.2	5	3.7	10	7.5	0.727
	Often	51	38.1	17	12.7	34	25.4
	Sometimes	34	25.4	10	7.5	24	17.9
	Rarely	27	20.1	11	8.2	16	11.9
	Never	7	5.2	1	0.7	6	4.5
Do you eat fresh fruits daily (as whole or juiced)	Always	40	30.1	14	10.5	26	19.5	0.978
	Often	37	27.8	12	9.0	25	18.8
	Sometimes	41	30.8	14	10.5	27	20.3
	Rarely	12	9.0	3	2.3	9	6.8
	Never	3	2.3	1	0.8	2	1.5
Do you eat vegetables daily (as raw or cooked)	Always	47	35.6	16	12.1	31	23.5	0.983
	Often	32	24.2	11	8.3	21	15.9
	Sometimes	34	25.8	10	7.6	24	18.2
	Rarely	14	10.6	5	3.8	9	6.8
	Never	5	3.8	2	1.5	3	2.3
Do you eat brown bread	Always	16	12.0	4	3.0	12	9.0	0.258
	Often	16	12.0	3	2.3	13	9.8
	Sometimes	25	18.8	12	9.0	13	9.8
	Rarely	33	24.8	9	6.8	24	18.0
	Never	43	32.3	16	12.0	27	20.3
Do you eat processed meat	Always	6	4.5	4	3.0	2	1.5	0.216
	Often	10	7.5	2	1.5	8	6.0
	Sometimes	34	25.4	14	10.4	20	14.9
	Rarely	38	28.4	10	7.5	28	20.9
	Never	46	34.3	14	10.4	32	23.9
Do you eat fast food	Always	17	12.8	6	4.5	11	8.3	0.712
	Often	23	17.3	8	6.0	15	11.3
	Sometimes	42	31.6	15	11.3	27	20.3
	Rarely	32	24.1	7	5.3	25	18.8
	Never	19	14.3	7	5.3	12	9.0
Do you drink milk and its constitutes daily	Always	33	24.6	6	4.5	27	20.1	0.022
	Often	32	23.9	15	11.2	17	12.7
	Sometimes	29	21.6	6	4.5	23	17.2
	Rarely	19	14.2	10	7.5	9	6.7
	Never	21	15.7	7	5.2	14	10.4
Do you drink enough water (10 cups and more)	Always	38	28.8	12	9.1	26	19.7	0.776
	Often	35	26.5	13	9.8	22	16.7
	Sometimes	41	31.1	14	10.6	27	20.5
	Rarely	12	9.1	2	1.5	10	7.6
	Never	6	4.5	2	1.5	4	3.0
Do you watch your calorie intake within a meal	Always	9	6.8	2	1.5	7	5.3	0.386
	Often	14	10.6	3	2.3	11	8.3
	Sometimes	21	15.9	6	4.5	15	11.4
	Rarely	26	19.7	7	5.3	19	14.4
	Never	62	47.0	26	19.7	36	27.3
Do you eat nuts at least twice a week	Always	30	22.4	16	11.9	14	10.4	0.072
	Often	29	21.6	10	7.5	19	14.2
	Sometimes	36	26.9	9	6.7	27	20.1
	Rarely	28	20.9	7	5.2	21	15.7
	Never	11	8.2	2	1.5	9	6.7
Do you eat fish regularly twice a week	Always	15	11.2	8	6.0	7	5.2	0.233
	Often	15	11.2	7	5.2	8	6.0
	Sometimes	30	22.4	9	6.7	12	15.7
	Rarely	45	33.6	13	9.7	32	23.9
	Never	29	21.6	7	5.2	22	15.4