The association between the dietary behavior, diet quality, and lifestyle scores with anthropometric indices and happiness levels among university students

Research on the relationship between anthropometric indices, lifestyle scores, diet quality, eating habits, and happiness is few. This study by Ghahfarokhi et al. (2024) aimed to investigate these relationships within the Iranian population. Two hundred Iranian university students were randomly chosen to participate in this cross-sectional survey. Dietary intake, physical activity, and happiness levels were measured using validated questionnaires. The study evaluated three anthropometric indices: the abdominal volume index (AVI), body roundness index (BRI), and body shape index (ABSI). The participants’ body mass index (BMI) was 23.8 kg/m2, and their average age was 23.5 years. According to the research, food habits, diet quality, and lifestyle scores did not significantly correlate with ABSI, BRI, AVI, or happiness. Even when factors including age, calorie intake, marital status, education, smoking, physical activity, gender, and BMI were taken into account, the relationships remained. The authors concluded that anthropometric indices, lifestyle scores, diet quality, eating habits, and happiness did not significantly correlate. Nevertheless, further longitudinal research is required to validate these results. [NPID: Dietary Behavior, diet quality, lifestyle scores, anthropometric indices, happiness levels, mental health, university students]

Year: 2024

Reference: Ghahfarokhi, A. H. S., Ghosn, B., Surkan, P. J., Akhondzadeh, S., & Azadbakht, L. (2024). The association between the dietary behavior, diet quality, and lifestyle scores with anthropometric indices and happiness levels among university students. BMC Nutrition, 10(1), 114. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-024-00917-y