A review of dietary behaviors among college students in Saudi Arabia
The increase in Saudi Arabia’s college student population, now about 1.7 million, highlights the need to understand their dietary behaviors and associated health risks. This review examines the prevalence of dietary habits among Saudi college students based on studies from January 2018 to December 2...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Saudi Journal for Health Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/sjhs.sjhs_81_24 |
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| author | Mohammed A. Alshehri |
| author_facet | Mohammed A. Alshehri |
| author_sort | Mohammed A. Alshehri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increase in Saudi Arabia’s college student population, now about 1.7 million, highlights the need to understand their dietary behaviors and associated health risks. This review examines the prevalence of dietary habits among Saudi college students based on studies from January 2018 to December 2023. A total of 12 relevant studies were analyzed, revealing poor dietary practices, including low consumption of fruits and vegetables and high intake of fast foods and sugary snacks. Gender differences emerged, with male students and those in nonhealth disciplines exhibiting less healthy eating patterns. Factors such as stress and social media influence were found to significantly impact dietary choices. Despite some level of nutritional awareness, this did not always result in healthier eating behaviors. The review underscores the urgent need for targeted intervention programs at Saudi universities. Effective interventions should focus on promoting healthier food options, enhancing nutritional education, and utilizing social media for health promotion. Tailoring these programs to different student subgroups and incorporating stress management strategies could further improve outcomes. Future research should explore the long-term effects of dietary behaviors on health and assess the effectiveness of various intervention strategies. Addressing these issues are essential for improving the dietary habits and overall well-being of Saudi college students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-92307757ef844006a46570e4232a2b24 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2278-1900 2278-0521 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Saudi Journal for Health Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-92307757ef844006a46570e4232a2b242025-02-06T07:26:05ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsSaudi Journal for Health Sciences2278-19002278-05212024-12-0113318719310.4103/sjhs.sjhs_81_24A review of dietary behaviors among college students in Saudi ArabiaMohammed A. AlshehriThe increase in Saudi Arabia’s college student population, now about 1.7 million, highlights the need to understand their dietary behaviors and associated health risks. This review examines the prevalence of dietary habits among Saudi college students based on studies from January 2018 to December 2023. A total of 12 relevant studies were analyzed, revealing poor dietary practices, including low consumption of fruits and vegetables and high intake of fast foods and sugary snacks. Gender differences emerged, with male students and those in nonhealth disciplines exhibiting less healthy eating patterns. Factors such as stress and social media influence were found to significantly impact dietary choices. Despite some level of nutritional awareness, this did not always result in healthier eating behaviors. The review underscores the urgent need for targeted intervention programs at Saudi universities. Effective interventions should focus on promoting healthier food options, enhancing nutritional education, and utilizing social media for health promotion. Tailoring these programs to different student subgroups and incorporating stress management strategies could further improve outcomes. Future research should explore the long-term effects of dietary behaviors on health and assess the effectiveness of various intervention strategies. Addressing these issues are essential for improving the dietary habits and overall well-being of Saudi college students.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/sjhs.sjhs_81_24behaviorcollege studentsdieteating habitsnutritionsaudi students |
| spellingShingle | Mohammed A. Alshehri A review of dietary behaviors among college students in Saudi Arabia Saudi Journal for Health Sciences behavior college students diet eating habits nutrition saudi students |
| title | A review of dietary behaviors among college students in Saudi Arabia |
| title_full | A review of dietary behaviors among college students in Saudi Arabia |
| title_fullStr | A review of dietary behaviors among college students in Saudi Arabia |
| title_full_unstemmed | A review of dietary behaviors among college students in Saudi Arabia |
| title_short | A review of dietary behaviors among college students in Saudi Arabia |
| title_sort | review of dietary behaviors among college students in saudi arabia |
| topic | behavior college students diet eating habits nutrition saudi students |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/sjhs.sjhs_81_24 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mohammedaalshehri areviewofdietarybehaviorsamongcollegestudentsinsaudiarabia AT mohammedaalshehri reviewofdietarybehaviorsamongcollegestudentsinsaudiarabia |