NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF FEMALE NURSING STUDENTS AT HANOI MEDICAL UNIVERSITY IN 2014

Abstract

Vietnam is facing double burden of malnutrition with 20.9% popular form 25 to 64 years old were suffered from chronic energy deficiency. This situation is also very popular in student population. Malnutrition is a very common status at female students in Vietnam. Objectives: To describe nutritional status of female nursing students and assess food intakes of female nursing students at Hanoi Medical University 2014. Methods A cross sectional study design. There were 332 female nursing students of Hanoi Medical University who evaluated by Body Mass Index in 2014. Results The results showed that the prevalence of Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) was 40.7% while the prevalence of overweight was 2.7%. By analyzing 24 hours food intake recalls, and compared it with Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), we can see that the average of energy intake (2,000.9 ± 577.0 Kcal/day) was lower than the recommended (2,300 Kcal/day). The situation of lacking of cereals, vegetables, fluid and fish was common, especially when compare to the consumption of Vietnamese, according to The General Nutritional Investigative of Nutritional Institute in 2006. And the source of protein and lipid mainly come from animal, instead of plant as the RDA. Moreover, many female nursing students had the habits of passing meals (52.0% students), dieting (21.8%) and had wrong assessment of nutritional status themselves. Conclusion: Malnutrition was very common among female nursing students and the interventional solutions to improve the nutritional status and health of students at university is needed. Keywords Nutritional status, student, nursing, female