Original scientific paper
Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases Nutrition Knowledge and Dietary Intake of Medical Students
Gordana Kenđel Jovanović
Greta Krešić
Sandra Pavičić Žeželj
Vladimir Mićović
Vesna Štefanac Nadarević
Abstract
The aims of this study were to determine medical students’ knowledge regarding the association between dietary factors
and the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases and to investigate if this knowledge has an impact on their dietary
intakes. Three hundred and ninety medical students (males and females) were included in a study and grouped according
to their daily fibre and fat intakes. For diet – disease knowledge, questions from the General Nutrition Knowledge
Questionnaire for Adults were used and dietary assessment was done with Food Frequency Questionnaire. The obtained
results showed that the students’ diet-disease knowledge was generally inadequate. Higher level of diet-disease knowledge
was among those with high dietary fibre intake, with slightly better scores for dietary factors and risk for cardiovascular
diseases than the risk for cancer. Better diet-disease knowledge positively correlated with higher intake of fish
(p=0.027, p=0.001) and vegetables (p=0.019, p=0.001) in high fibre groups of both gender, and in females additionally
with fruit intake (p=0.038, p=0.007). A higher dietary fibre intake among studied students seems to be a factor that ensures
lower obesity rates, lower intake of energy and lower consumption of coffee, sweets and alcoholic drinks. On the basis
of the results of this study, it is clear that medical schools should provide in their nutrition programs the opportunity
for students to learn about their own dietary and lifestyle behaviours, in order to more knowledgably and convincingly
counsel their future patients.
Keywords
medical students; diet-disease knowledge; fibre; fat; dietary intake
Hrčak ID:
72170
URI
Publication date:
30.9.2011.
Visits: 1.850 *