Evaluation of the dietary habits, body images and BMI of Turkish University students who live in dormitory

Objectives: To determine the factors that influence the dietary habits, BMIs, and body images of students living in dormitory. Methodology: The study was performed in the Dormitory of Hacettepe University. Study population was 301 girl students. Data were collected by personal interviews; height and weight measurements were performed. Results: The mean age of 301 students enrolled in the study was 21.2 +/- 1.7 years. About 69.7% of the students were skipping at least one meal in most of the days. Studying and dormitory conditions had a heavier negative influence over medical school students than others (p < 0.05). Approximately four out of every 10 students had gone on a diet sometime while the underlying reason in 78.4% of those was to lose weight. According to the BMI values, 11.6% of them were underweight, 80.8% were normal, and 7.6% were overweight. 57.5%, 89.6%, and 12.8% of the students who described themselves as underweight, normal, and overweight, respectively, were found to define their actual condition. Conclusions: A dietary and nutritional counseling office within the framework of the Student Health Center, educating students on nutritional issues, and providing a dining hall service particularly for dinners, should help overcome dietary problems.