(In)segurança alimentar, práticas alimentares e de cuidado em saúde dos estudantes do curso de Nutrição de uma universidade pública em Minas Gerais

Abstract

Introduction: A student’s admission in a university represents many changes in their lives, which can lead to inadequate eating and health practices, in addition, they're vulnerable to food insecurity that also affects their eating practices, due to socioeconomic factors, time, accessibility and cooking skills. Nutrition students belong to the same group and are exposed to the same risk factors as other university students, however they possess technical knowledge that may lead to healthier practices. Objectives: Relate eating and health practices to the food (in)security of Nutrition students from a public university in Minas Gerais. Methods: Cross-sectional quantitative study, with all 190 nutrition students as a target population, using a structured questionnaire to collect demographic and socioeconomic data, admission and permanence in the course, health characteristics, health care practices and nutritional state, eating practices and the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. Quantitative data was described in averages, medians and minimum and maximum values, while categoric data was described in absolute (n) and relative (%) frequencies. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with or without food insecurity, estimating the odds ratio (OR) and with 95% confidence interval (IC95%). Results: 102 Students participated in this study (53,68%) and 37,26% have some degree of food insecurity. The majority is female (79,41%), with an average age of 23,72 years, 50,98% self declared as non-white. In the bivariate analysis, there was an association between food insecurity and family and individual income, skin color/race, where students have their meals, diagnosed diseases, using supplements, self-rating negatively their own health and eating practices, being dissatisfacted with their weight, and consuming fresh fruits, beans and whole cereals, sweetened drinks, candies and snacks. In the final logistic regression model it was identified that eating in the university restaurant, eating fruits the day before and having an afternoon snack have a significant association to food insecurity and were protective factors against it. Conclusion: The students have both adequate and inadequate eating and health practices, however those in food insecurity have higher risk of having unhealthy eating practices. The university restaurant was shown as a potential protective factor and promoter of adequate and healthy eating.