Dietary diversity and anthropometric status of students at universities in Dodoma and Morogoro Regions, Tanzania
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Date
2024-04
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Publisher
AJOL
Abstract
Background: Young adulthood is a transitional period that provides an opportunity to influence
immediate and future eating behavior and good nutritional status. As diets evolve during young
adulthood due to changes in circumstances and the introduction of new influences, young
adults are a significant population group that influences future eating behaviours and prevents
the development of NCDS. There is scanty information on the relationship between dietary
diversity and the nutritional status of university students in Tanzania. This study aimed to find
the synergy between university students' anthropometric status and dietary diversity in
Morogoro and Dodoma regions of Tanzania.
Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 247 University students in Morogoro and Dodoma
regions (130 from Mzumbe University and 117 from Saint John’s University) respectively. The two
Universities were purposively selected from each region. Data on Dietary diversity was collected
using food groups from DDS to obtain the dietary score of each student. Anthropometric
measures such as weight, height and waist circumference were done to obtain the
anthropometric status of the University students.
Results: The descriptive cross-sectional study involved 247 University students. In comparative
chi-square analysis, the association was found among different socio-demographic
characteristics of the University students. The p-value < 0.05 was used to determine the
association among the variables.
Conclusion: In conclusion, university students are a vulnerable group in developing
obesity/overweight due to the transitional stage. Being overweight and obese was associated
with being female, increased age and being married. High dietary diversity was also linked with
abdominal obesity. Factors that can help describe and understand the anthropometric status of
university students have also been identified. These include years of study, religion, and
university location. Therefore, efforts to adopt good lifestyle behaviours should be sensitized
amongst this sub-population to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases in the long run.
Description
Tanzania Journal of Health Research
Keywords
dietary diversity, anthropometric status, university students