Dietary patterns and their association with demographic and lifestyle variables among medical students at Kashan University of Medical Sciences: A cross-sectional study

Kowsari, Hamed; Sharifi, Nasrin; Fathi, Negar; Teimoury, Amirhossein; Sharifi, Nasrin

doi:10.48307/FMSJ.2025.29.5.517

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Volume 29, Issue 5 (Bimothly 2025)

Feyz Med Sci J 2025, 29(5): 517-528

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Dietary patterns and their association with demographic and lifestyle variables among medical students at Kashan University of Medical Sciences: A cross-sectional study

Hamed Kowsari

, Nasrin Sharifi

, Negar Fathi

, Amirhossein Teimoury

, Nasrin Sharifi ^*

Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran , sharifi-na@kaums.ac.ir

Abstract: (468 Views)

Background and Aim: Medical students are at risk of developing unhealthy dietary patterns due to academic pressures and specific living conditions. This study aimed to identify predominant dietary patterns and investigate their association with demographic characteristics and lifestyle factors among medical students.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 259 medical students at Kashan University of Medical Sciences during the 2022-2023 academic year. Dietary intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Dietary patterns were extracted via factor analysis with Varimax rotation. Their associations with demographic and life style variables were examined using independent samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance.
Results: Three major dietary patterns were identified: 1) a 'Traditional-Protein' pattern, characterized by high factor loadings for foods such as chicken, eggs, legumes, red meat, vegetables, and fruits; 2) a 'Western-Sweet' pattern, with high factor loadings for cream pastries, industrial fruit juice, soft drinks, and fast food; and 3) a 'Snack' pattern, with high factor loadings for biscuits, cake, sugar, and tea. These three patterns collectively explained 33.15% of the total variance in food intake. Adherence to the Traditional-Protein pattern was significantly lower among students living in dormitories compared to those in private housing (P=0.013). Furthermore, students in the basic sciences phase showed a greater tendency towards the Western-Sweet pattern than clinical trainees (interns) (P=0.007). Regular physical activity was associated with higher adherence to the Traditional-Protein pattern (P<0.001) and lower adherence to the Western-Sweet pattern (P=0.021). In contrast, gender (P=0.18), marital status (P=0.27), and body mass index (P=0.33) showed no significant association with any of the identified dietary patterns.
Conclusion: Living environment and physical activity are significantly associated with the dietary patterns of medical students. Improving the nutritional quality in dormitories and promoting physical activity could be effective strategies to enhance the dietary habits of this group.

Keywords: Dietary patterns, Medical students, Factor analysis, Life style, Student dormitories

Full-Text [PDF 491 kb] (41 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research | Subject: medicine, paraclinic
Received: 2025/08/29 | Revised: 2025/11/9 | Accepted: 2025/09/30 | Published: 2025/11/3

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Kowsari H, Sharifi N, Fathi N, Teimoury A, Sharifi N. Dietary patterns and their association with demographic and lifestyle variables among medical students at Kashan University of Medical Sciences: A cross-sectional study. Feyz Med Sci J 2025; 29 (5) :517-528
URL: http://feyz.kaums.ac.ir/article-1-5394-en.html

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