ESTUDY ON EATING COSTUMS FROM STUDENTS OF THE ENGINEERING FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE SAN LUÍS POTOSÍ

An analysis was made on eating habits. 345 students were selected from the Universidad Autonoma de San Luís Potosí (Mexico) Faculty of Engineering, with a mean age of 23 years old. Aims: Determine patterns of dietary intake in a higher education population, by age group and sex. Methods and Material: Using a 24-hour reminder survey (R-24), dietary intake patterns were determined by age and sex groups and somatometry data were collected and information was collected on tobacco consumption, alcohol, physical activity, habits and lifestyles that could be associated with nutritional status and / or dietary intake. Statistical analysis used: All the information collected was duly codified and processed for further statistical treatment. To do this, databases were generated using the statistical program SPSS ver. 11.5, for the calculation of mean, standard deviation and correlations of all the information collected from the respondents Results: Body mass index (BMI) levels with a maximum trend between 20 and 24 kg / m2, which revealed normal weight in 57,3%, of these, 27,9% were in a BMI between 25 and 29 kg / m2, indicator of overweight. As for the nutritional index (IN), 60,6% are in the normal situation, that is, between 90 and 110, only 20,6% have an IN of 110-120, a marker of overweight and obesity. The 57,1% consume between 2000 and 3000 Kcal / day, (77,7% are men). 60,3% eat three times a day and only 16,8% have made any specific diet. 37,4% developed little physical activity, while 56,2% did not perform any type of activity. 28,4% are smokers and 58,3% are frequent drinkers and 39,3% drink alcohol in excess (more than 6 beers / day). Conclusions: A significant rate has been observed in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, especially among the group of male students. In addition, a high prevalence of sedentary lifestyle has been found in most of the respondents. The prevalence of tobacco consumption is significant among the surveyed population, especially among male students in the age group between 17 and 24 years old, although only about one third of the total population surveyed declares to be a smoker.