scholarly journals Physical activity, nutritional habits and sleeping behavior in health professions students and employees of a Swiss University of Applied Sciences during the COVID-19 lockdown period: a questionnaire survey study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Taeymans ◽  
Eefje Luijckx ◽  
Slavko Rogan ◽  
Karin Haas ◽  
Heiner Baur
Keyword(s):  
Applied Sciences ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Sitting Time ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
University Of Applied Sciences ◽  
Nutrition And Dietetics ◽  
Consumption Habits

BACKGROUND The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 led to the COVID-19 pandemic since January 2020. The Swiss Federal Council prescribed a lockdown of non-essential businesses. Students and employees of institutions for higher education had to install home-office and online lectures. OBJECTIVE The aim of this survey was to evaluate lifestyle habits such as physical activity (PA), sitting time, nutritional (expressed as median Mediterranean Diet Score; mMDS) and alcohol consumption habits and sleeping behavior during a two months period of confinement and social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic in students and employees of a Swiss University of Applied Sciences. METHODS All students and employees from the Bern University of Applied Sciences – Department of Health Professions (Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Midwifery, Physiotherapy) were invited to complete an anonymous online survey during the COVID-19 confinement period. Information on the lifestyle dimensions PA, sitting time, nutritional and alcohol consumption habits and sleep was gathered using adaptations of validated questionnaires. Frequency analyses and non-parametric statistical methods were used for data analyses. Significance was set at 5% level of alpha error. RESULTS Prevalence of non-health enhancing PA was 37.1% with participants of the division of physiotherapy showing lowest prevalence. Prevalence of long sitting time (> 8 hours.day-1) was 36.1%. Median mMDS was 9 on 15 with participants of the division of nutrition and dietetics being more adherent to a Mediterranean diet as compared to the other groups. Prevalence of non-adherence to the Swiss alcohol consumption recommendations was 8.3%. Prevalence of low sleeping quality was 44.7% while median sleeping duration was eight hours, which is considered healthy for adult populations. CONCLUSIONS Results of this survey and subgroup analyses offer an opportunity to plan more group-specific health promotion interventions. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04502108

scholarly journals The Relationship Between Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Body Composition in Nutrition and Dietetic Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Servet Madencioğlu ◽  
Sevinç Yücecan
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Waist Circumference ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Near East ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Nutrition And Dietetics ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractIntroductionThe determination of level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) in young adults has been investigated in countries situated near the Mediterranean region generally. The main purpose of this study were to determine differences in body composition by gender and level of adherence to the MD and to determine the relationship between body composition and level of adherence to the MD in Nutrition and Dietetics students at Near East University in Cyprus.Materials and MethodsThe study was conducted on 126 Nutrition and Dietetics students, aged 18 to 32 years. MDS was calculated, and then classified into three groups: good (36–55 points), moderate (21–35 points), and poor (0–20 points). Body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance (BIA). Anthropometrical measurements; height (H), body weight (BW), waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference (HC) were assessed according to standardized procedures and physical activity (PA) was assessed by using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-short form). The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee at Near East University.ResultsAccording to study results 31.0% of students were found out to low adherence, while 69.0% of students had moderate adherence to the MD. There is no student had high adherence to the MD. There was no significant difference (p = 0.877) between the male and female students in terms of adherence to Mediterranean diet. The findings indicate that the eating habits of the Nutrition and Dietetics students, even those studying nutrition, are in need of improvement. The results show that 78.6% of students were normal and 21.4% of students were overweight and obese. Male students’ BW (p = 0.000), WC (p = 0.000) and HC (p = 0.015) were higher than females’, while female students’ fat mass (FM) (p = 0.000) was higher than males’. However, there is no significant difference between BW (p = 0.724), FM (p = 0.896), BMI (p = 0.691), WC (p = 0.632) and HC (p = 0.982) neither low adherence nor moderate adherence to the MD. Most of students minimal active according to IPAQ scores (41.2%) and there is no significant difference IPAQ score and adherence to the MD (p = 0.923).DiscussionOne of the healthiest diets worldwide is the traditional MD. Several studies have shown, that higher adherence to the MD is inversely related with BMI, waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHR). Little is known of how adherence to the MD is related to body composition, especially in university students. Further large-scale studies are required to clarify the relationship between adherence to the MD and body composition

scholarly journals Physical Activity, Nutritional Habits, and Sleep Behavior Among Health Profession Students and Employees of a Swiss University During and After COVID-19 Confinement: Protocol for a Longitudinal Observational Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Slavko Rogan ◽  
Eefje Luijckx ◽  
Jan Taeymans ◽  
Karin Haas ◽  
Heiner Baur
Keyword(s):  
Applied Sciences ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Sleep Behavior ◽  
Nutritional Habits ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
University Of Applied Sciences ◽  
The Government ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus strain, has resulted in the COVID-19 pandemic since early 2020. To contain the transmission of this virus, the Swiss Federal Council ordered a nationwide lockdown of all nonessential businesses. Accordingly, students and employees of institutions for higher education were informed to continue their academic programs through home-office settings and online lectures. OBJECTIVE This longitudinal survey aims to evaluate various lifestyle habits such as physical activity, nutritional habits, and sleep behavior among students and employees of a Swiss University of Applied Sciences during a 2-month period of confinement and social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and 1 year thereafter. METHODS This paper describes a protocol for a retrospective and prospective observational cohort study. Students and employees of Bern University of Applied Sciences, Department of Health Professions, were invited to anonymously complete a web-based survey during the COVID-19 confinement period. This will be followed by a second survey, scheduled 1 year after the lockdown. Information on various lifestyle aspects, including physical activity, nutritional habits, and sleep behavior, will be collected using adaptations of existing validated questionnaires. RESULTS This longitudinal study started during the government-ordered confinement period in Switzerland in mid-April 2020 and will end in mid-2021. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this survey will provide information about the impact of confinement during the COVID-19 crisis on the physical activity, nutritional habits, and sleep behavior of students and employees of a Swiss institute. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04502108; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04502108 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/25051

scholarly journals Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with better mental and physical health

2008 ◽  
Vol 101 (12) ◽  
pp. 1821-1827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel-Angel Muñoz ◽  
Montserrat Fíto ◽  
Jaume Marrugat ◽  
Maria-Isabel Covas ◽  
Helmut Schröder
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Leisure Time ◽  
Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽  
Independent Population ◽  
Direct Association ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

The aim of the present study was to analyse the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and self-perceived mental and physical health function, controlled for confounding effects of age, smoking, BMI, alcohol consumption, educational level, leisure-time physical activity and the presence of chronic conditions. A random sample of the 35–74-year-old population (3910 men and 4285 women) of Gerona, Spain, was examined in 2000 and 2005 in two independent population-based cross-sectional surveys. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated FFQ. The Mediterranean diet score (MDS) was calculated according to tertile distribution of energy-adjusted food consumption considered characteristic for the Mediterranean region. Health-related quality of life was measured using the SF-12 questionnaire. Alcohol consumption, leisure-time physical activity and smoking habits were recorded. Weight and height were measured. Age-adjusted linear regression analysis revealed a significant (P < 0·01) direct association of the MDS with self-reported mental and physical health in both sexes. An increase of 5 units of the MDS was directly associated with changes of 0·74 and 1·15 units in men and women, respectively, in the mental component score after controlling for potential confounders. The age-adjusted direct association of the MDS with self-reported scoring of physical health remained stable after adjusting for several confounders in men but was attenuated in women. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with higher scoring for self-perceived health.

scholarly journals Change in alcohol consumption and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic amongst 76 medical students

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12580
Author(s):  
Christina Sandell ◽  
Mikhail Saltychev
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Higher Alcohol ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Negative Effect

Objective To investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected physical activity and alcohol consumption among medical students. Methods Cross-sectional survey study among 76 students in their second year of medical school. The Wilcoxon sign-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis H test were used to assess the difference between groups. Results Of 76 respondents, 68% were women, 66% were single and 34% were co-habiting. The median age was 21 years. Overall alcohol consumption decreased during the pandemic year by 12 g/week. Overall physical activity did not significantly change. The decrease in alcohol consumption was mostly caused by a change seen in a high tertile, change was −96 g/week. Alcohol consumption decreased more in women than in men, p = 0.0001. Conclusions It seems that alcohol consumption among medical students has decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic probably due to reduced social contacts and negative effect of social isolation. This decrease was seen especially among women and among students with higher alcohol consumption before the pandemic. Also, it seems that students had found their ways to remain active during the pandemic since the amount of leisure-time physical activity had not changed significantly.

scholarly journals Nutrition Counselling – From the Traditional Setting to Tele-Counselling

2021 ◽  
pp. 107-109
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Farmer
Keyword(s):  
Applied Sciences ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Nutrition Counselling ◽  
University Of Applied Sciences ◽  
The University ◽  
Traditional Setting ◽  
Virtual Setting ◽  
First Time

At the University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions in Linz, Austria, students for the first time completed training for online nutrition counselling. Adjusting to the virtual setting as well as briefing and equipping the training clients was a challenge. After initial scepticism, a percentage of students can now see themselves offering digital counselling sessions in their future lives as nutritionists.

scholarly journals Did COVID-19 Pandemic Change People’s Physical Activity Distribution, Eating, and Alcohol Consumption Habits as well as Body Mass Index?

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (23) ◽  
pp. 12405
Author(s):  
Albertas Skurvydas ◽  
Ausra Lisinskiene ◽  
Marc Lochbaum ◽  
Daiva Majauskiene ◽  
Dovile Valanciene ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Activity Distribution ◽  
Metabolic Equivalent Of Task ◽  
Sport Clubs ◽  
Consumption Habits

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate whether COVID-19 had an impact on people’s (aged 18–74) physical activity distribution, eating, and alcohol consumption habits as well as body mass index. We interviewed 6369 people (4545 women and 1824 men) in Lithuania before the COVID-19 pandemic started and 2392 during COVID-19 (1856 women and 536 men). They were aged 18–74 years. We found that both genders had not stopped their physical activity (PA) completely because of lockdown imitations (for example, prohibition from attending sport clubs), but they started doing different physical exercises at sport clubs. We determined the PA distribution according to the Danish Physical Activity Questionnaire (DPAQ). Despite increases in independent PA and the quantity of light PA, the amount of total energy used in metabolic equivalent of task (MET) units per day decreased significantly for both genders irrespective of age. Although the amounts of sedentary behavior, moderate PA (MPA), vigorous PA (VPA) or a combination of MPA and VPA (MVPA) did not change significantly. Surprisingly, lockdown reduced the duration of sleep for older women but increased their amount of intense VPA (>6 METs). However, the amount of intense VPA decreased for men. Both genders reported overeating less during the pandemic than before it, but did not start consuming more alcohol, and their body mass index did not change. Thus, the COVID-19 in Lithuania represented ‘good stress’ that mobilized these individuals to exercise more independently and overeat less.

scholarly journals STUDENTS PRACTICE AND MOTIVATION FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 12-18
Author(s):  
Viktorija Piščalkienė ◽  
Laura Žlibinaitė ◽  
Lijana Navickienė ◽  
José Amoroso ◽  
Paula Simões ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Applied Sciences ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Extrinsic Motivation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Study Results ◽  
University Of Applied Sciences ◽  
Steps Per Day ◽  
International Comparative ◽  
Eu Project

Motivation is of two types: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation involves someone being interested in what he/she performs and in the practice process itself. Extrinsic motivation is related to individuals who engage in practice because it is a means to an end, relatively separated from the content and subject of practice. Aim of article – to compare practice and motivation for physical activity among Finnish, Portuguese, Lithuanian and Belgian students. The comparative analysis was performed while participating and doing a research in a EU project „Villages on the Move Network“ (2018 – 2651 / 001 – 001). Five institutions from four European countries were involved in the project: South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) and Southern Savo Sports Federation (ESLi) from Finland, University College Limburg – Leuven from Belgium, Kaunas University of Applied Sciences/Kauno kolegija from Lithuania and School of Technology and Management and School of Education and Social Sciences – Polytechnic of Leiria from Portugal. Methods of the research: for the study a structured questionnaire was composed and circulated by using online survey. 843 students from four EU countries (Finland, Portugal, Lithuania and Belgium) participated in the study. Results. Most students walk 5.001 to 10.000 steps a day. Finnish and Belgian students take the most steps per day, Portuguese and Lithuanian students take the least steps per day. The most popular form of physical activity among students are walking, cycling or running. Finnish students, more than students from other countries, practice the following forms of physical activity: bicycle, gym, gymnastics, yoga / Pilates, Nordic walking, ultimate sport. Dancing is more popular among Lithuanian students, swimming – among Belgian and tennis – among Portuguese students. Attitudes towards physical activity motivation were found to be most expressed by Portuguese students. It was found that the greater the motivation for physical activity, the more physically active students are in choosing different forms of physical activity.

scholarly journals Physical Activity, Nutritional Habits, and Sleep Behavior Among Health Profession Students and Employees of a Swiss University During and After COVID-19 Confinement: Protocol for a Longitudinal Observational Study

10.2196/25051 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e25051
Author(s):  
Slavko Rogan ◽  
Eefje Luijckx ◽  
Jan Taeymans ◽  
Karin Haas ◽  
Heiner Baur
Keyword(s):  
Applied Sciences ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Sleep Behavior ◽  
Nutritional Habits ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
University Of Applied Sciences ◽  
The Government ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

Background SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus strain, has resulted in the COVID-19 pandemic since early 2020. To contain the transmission of this virus, the Swiss Federal Council ordered a nationwide lockdown of all nonessential businesses. Accordingly, students and employees of institutions for higher education were informed to continue their academic programs through home-office settings and online lectures. Objective This longitudinal survey aims to evaluate various lifestyle habits such as physical activity, nutritional habits, and sleep behavior among students and employees of a Swiss University of Applied Sciences during a 2-month period of confinement and social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and 1 year thereafter. Methods This paper describes a protocol for a retrospective and prospective observational cohort study. Students and employees of Bern University of Applied Sciences, Department of Health Professions, were invited to anonymously complete a web-based survey during the COVID-19 confinement period. This will be followed by a second survey, scheduled 1 year after the lockdown. Information on various lifestyle aspects, including physical activity, nutritional habits, and sleep behavior, will be collected using adaptations of existing validated questionnaires. Results This longitudinal study started during the government-ordered confinement period in Switzerland in mid-April 2020 and will end in mid-2021. Conclusions The findings of this survey will provide information about the impact of confinement during the COVID-19 crisis on the physical activity, nutritional habits, and sleep behavior of students and employees of a Swiss institute. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04502108; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04502108 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/25051

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