Eating Habits, Physical Activity and Nutritional Status Among Kenyatta University Students

Obesity has become a global health crisis, with prevalence nearly tripling since 1975. In 2016, approximately 39% of adults worldwide were overweight or obese. Lifestyle factors, such as dietary habits and physical activity levels, significantly contribute to this alarming trend. This study aimed to assess the eating habits, physical activity levels and nutritional status of university students.

This was a cross-sectional analytical study. The study was conducted among 249 students from 17 schools within the university, selected using a multistage stratified sampling technique. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 24.0.

The study participants were aged between 18 and 31 years. The findings revealed that 79.9% of students exhibited a mixture of both healthy and unhealthy eating habits, whereas 8% and 12% demonstrated unhealthy and healthy eating habits, respectively. A higher percentage of females (70%) had more nutritious eating habits compared to males. Overall, 75.9% of students were classified as physically inactive. A higher proportion of females (61%) were physically inactive compared to males (39%). In comparison, 49.8% reported sitting for eight or more hours per day, indicating a sedentary lifestyle that further contributes to health risks. Based on BMI, 8.4% of students were underweight, 67.5% were within the normal range, 16.5% were overweight and 7.6% were obese. However, based on waist circumference, 21.7% exhibited abdominal obesity. Furthermore, females had significantly higher BMI and waist circumference values. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between BMI and age, year of study and meal source. Waist circumference was significantly associated with sex, year of study and residence status. Additionally, a significant relationship was observed between residential status and eating habits, and the daily consumption of fast food was significantly associated with BMI.

It is imperative to consider gender-specific interventions to address physical inactivity, obesity and abdominal obesity among university students. Future research should utilise objective methods to assess physical activity levels for a more comprehensive understanding of student health.