Hábitos alimenticios y actividad física asociados con la salud integral en estudiantes universitarios de Enfermería

Abstract

Introduction: University life often alters students’ behaviors. In the nursing program of a higher education institution, self-care takes on special relevance, but having health knowledge does not guarantee the adoption of favorable lifestyles. Objective: To understand the relationship between dietary habits, physical activity, and perceived overall health in university nursing students. Methodology: Quantitative, observational, and cross-sectional study. 50 students from a university campus in the province of Manabí were evaluated using an internally validated survey. Descriptive statistics, Spearman correlations with bootstrap confidence intervals, and a multivariable linear regression analysis adjusted for age and sex were applied. Results: Dietary habits and physical activity showed significant positive associations with overall health. In turn, the multivariable model demonstrated that for each additional point in dietary habits, overall health increased by 0.56 points; and for each point in physical activity, it rose by 0.40 points. Conclusions: Dietary habits and physical activity are positively and complementarily related to the perceived well-being of students, with diet being the factor with the strongest association. Longitudinal studies are recommended to confirm the causality of these findings.