UAE University Students’ Dietary Practices and Lifestyles at times of COVID-19: A Cross Sectional Study

Date
2022-08
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Enviro Research Publishers
Abstract
We examinedthe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students’ dietary practices and lifestyles. In this study, the term “dietary practices” refers to people’s choice in food consumption, whereas “lifestyles” refers to their overall habits including both diet and exercise. We followed a quantitative approach through a cross sectional study and collected data from 475 university students in the UAE by means of an online survey. The results of this study indicated that a majority (67%) of the surveyed students seem to have changed their dietary practice for the better and were making healthier life choices. Additionally, it appears that students started leading more active, healthier lifestyles by incorporating exercise in their daily routine. The research concludes with initial suggestions and implications for healthcare practitioners and providing them with information regarding how younger adults in the UAE have behaved during a pandemic. Understanding the results from similar studies will help the health authorities in reshaping policies on nutrition in anticipation of any future pandemics. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Enviro Research Publishers.
Description
This work is licensed under Creative Commons License and full text is openly accessible in CUD Digital Repository. The version of the scholarly record of this article is published in Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science (2022), available online at: https://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CRNFSJ.10.2.20
Keywords
COVID-19, Dietary practices, Eating patterns, Lifestyle, Students, United Arab Emirates
Citation
Takshe, A. A., Khatib, R. E., Contu, D., Shehaiber, S. N., & Alkaabi, M. (2022). UAE university students’ dietary practices and lifestyles at times of covid-19: A cross sectional study. Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science, 10(2), 647-656. https://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CRNFSJ.10.2.20
DOI