Assess The Dietary Habits and Their Associative Factors Among Hostel Nursing Girls

Background: Healthy eating is essential for maintaining overall well-being, yet unhealthy dietary habits are increasingly prevalent among young adults, leading to rising obesity rates and associated health concerns. Hostel students, particularly nursing students, often face challenges in maintaining a balanced diet due to various influencing factors such as peer pressure, media exposure, and personal preferences. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the dietary habits of hostel nursing girls and examine the associative factors influencing their food choices. Methodology: A non-experimental survey approach was employed, involving 300 hostel girls from Ladies Hostel-II, Campus II, BBSR, Odisha. Purposive sampling was used for participant selection. Data were collected through structured interviews using rating scales and yes/no questionnaires. The analysis focused on identifying key factors affecting dietary habits and their association with socio-demographic characteristics. Results: Findings revealed that 53.88% of students' food choices were influenced by personal preferences, 56% by mass media and advertisements, and 27% by artificial food colors and flavors. Peer influence played a major role, affecting 60.5% of students, while psychological (34.66%) and social factors (44%) also impacted dietary habits. Significant associations were observed between dietary patterns and factors such as age, course and year of study, height, BMI, and family income (p < 0.05). However, no significant correlation was found with religion, marital status, or weight. Conclusion: The study highlights that hostel nursing girls primarily follow an average dietary pattern, with a notable tendency toward unhealthy food choices influenced by peers and media exposure. Awareness programs on the negative effects of unhealthy eating habits are essential to promote healthier dietary practices among students.