The association between food preferences, eating behavior, and body weight among female university students in the United Arab Emirates.
| Autor: | Al Sabbah H; Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates., Ajab A; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates., Ismail LC; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.; Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom., Al Dhaheri A; Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates., Alblooshi S; Department of Health Sciences, College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates., Atari S; Department of Computer Science, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine., Polo SV; Department of Computer Science, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine., Amro M; Department of Computer Science, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine., Qasrawi R; Department of Computer Science, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine.; Department of Computer Engineering, Istinye University, Istanbul, Türkiye. |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Zdroj: | Frontiers in public health [Front Public Health] 2024 Jul 23; Vol. 12, pp. 1395338. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jul 23 (Print Publication: 2024). |
| DOI: | 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1395338 |
| Abstrakt: | Introduction: This cross-sectional study investigated the associations between lifestyle, eating habits, food preferences, consumption patterns, and obesity among female university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: Approximately 4,728 participants, including both Emirati and Non-Emirati students (International Students). Data collection involved face-to-face interviews and anthropometric measurements, showing an interrelated relationship between food preferences and obesity among female university students. Results: While sociodemographic factors and lifestyle habits contribute to obesity, this study uniquely focuses on the role of food preferences and food consumption patterns in body weight status. The findings reveal a significant correlation between the intake of high-sugar beverages-such as milk, juices, soft drinks, and energy drinks-and an increased risk of overweight and obesity among both Emirati and Non-Emirati populations. Notably, milk consumption was particularly associated with obesity in non-Emirati populations ( F = 88.1, p < 0.001) and with overweight status in Non-Emiratis ( F = 7.73, p < 0.05). The consumption of juices and soft drinks was linked to obesity. Additionally, a significant preference for fruits and vegetables among overweight and obese students was observed, indicating a trend toward healthier food choices. However, there was also a clear preference for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods such as processed meats, sweets, and salty snacks. Fast food items like burgers, fried chicken, fries, pizza, shawarma, chips, and noodles were significantly correlated with increased body weight status, especially shawarma, which showed a notably high correlation with both obesity and overweight statuses ( F -values of 38.3 and 91.11, respectively). Conclusion: The study indicated that food choices shape weight-related outcomes is important for designing effective strategies to promote healthier dietary patterns. Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. (Copyright © 2024 Al Sabbah, Ajab, Ismail, Al Dhaheri, Alblooshi, Atari, Polo, Amro and Qasrawi.) |
| Databáze: | MEDLINE |
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