[Association between food behavior and hypercholesterolemia-LDL in university students]

Hypercholesterolemia-LDL (H-LDL) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The association between H-LDL and feeding has focused on nutritional aspects. The study of the association between eating behavior (EB) and H-LDL in university students, could provide nutritional elements for correction and/or prevention in this population.

To assess the association between EB and H-LDL in university students.

A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 167 students from the Autonomous University of Guerrero, Mexico. LDL cholesterol in serum was measured and a concentration ≥100 mg/dL was considered hypercholesterolemia. The EB was assessed using a previously validated questionnaire. The association between EB and H-LDL was determined with a bivariate logistic regression, adjusting for sex, age, socioeconomic status, smoking, energy intake, physical activity, presence or absence of obesity and family history.

Eating lunch (morning snack) was related with 63% lower risk of H-LDL (OR 0.37; 95% CI 0.15, 0.90). Take food away from home once or twice a week was associated with a fourfold increased risk of H-LDL (R 5.14; 95% CI 1.12, 23.62). Subjects who reported consuming excess food (1 or 2, and 3 or more times/week) had higher risk of H-LDL (OR 3.26; 95% CI 1.10, 9.64 and OR 10.52; 95% CI 2.66, 41.60 respectively).

Some usual EB of the university students (Guerrero, Mexico) involve greater risk of H-LDL. To encourage actions corrective and/or preventive focused on these EB, could improve the health of this population.