CALORIC INTAKE AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ACCORDING TO CHRONOTYPES, IN 2023

Abstract

Introduction: Humans have circadian rhythms, the best known being the sleep/wake cycle, whose individual preferences are called chronotype, distinguishing between morning, neutral and evening people. Evening people are associated with unhealthy dietary habits and excess weight, being more frequent in young people due to the biological changes they cause. Adding the social and cultural changes that converge in youth, such as the university stage and considering that the prevalence of excess weight increases, the objective was to describe caloric intake and nutritional status according to the chronotypes identified in health sciences students at UCSE-DASS, in 2023. Methodology: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional quantitative study, with a total sample of 57 students. The chronotype was determined by the Horne and Ostberg MEQ questionnaire and the nutritional status with anthropometric measurements. Caloric intake was assessed using a 24-hour R and physical activity was assessed using the physical activity module of the 4th ENFR. Based on the variables, central tendency and dispersion measures were calculated and frequency distribution tables were constructed. In addition, variable comparisons were made according to chronotype. Results: Most students had an intermediate chronotype (59.6%), a normal nutritional status (56%) and poor caloric intake (64.9%). Overweight prevailed (30%) and no differences were observed between caloric intake and nutritional status according to chronotypes. Conclusions: Although young people with an evening chronotype did not present excessive caloric intake or overweight, it is important to consider the chronotype as a factor in the comprehensive nutritional assessment, to propose adequate feeding plans harmonically to the human being, as well as to focus on nutritional education in young people as a pillar to tackle malnutrition due to excess and prevent NCDs in adult life.