Nursing Student Satisfaction With Daily Life: A Holistic Approach

Background: Nursing school, clinical, and academic life challenges most students' satisfaction with daily life. This study sought to examine associations between undergraduate nursing students' satisfaction with daily life and body mass index (BMI), self-weight perception, and intake of 18 commonly consumed food and beverages over the past 30 days. Method: A cross-sectional, correlational, online study facilitated data collection from 215 nursing students. Results: One unit increase in satisfaction with daily life predicted a modest 36% decrease in the odds of being overweight/obese. One unit increase in satisfaction with daily life predicted a 106% increase in the odds of being in the about the right weight category. Approximately 44.9% of the nursing students were in the overweight, obese, or extremely obese categories. Conclusion: Healthy nutrition and normal BMI, with a positive self-weight perception, before nurses enter the workforce may have lifelong benefits. Nursing faculty can provide motivation, a supportive environment, and tools to instill a culture of health and wellness.