Dados do Trabalho

Título

Nutritional and Dietary Profile of College Students with Poor Sleep Quality at the Start of a Telemedicine Intervention Program for Sleep Health Promotion

Introdução

Inadequate nutrition can contribute to poor sleep quality, which may affect mood, intellectual performance, memory, and body weight.

Objetivo

To evaluate the dietary and nutritional profile of college students at the beginning of a telemedicine nutritional intervention program aimed at improving sleep quality.

Métodos

A study involving students enrolled in undergraduate programs at UFF (Niterói/RJ), approved by the Ethics Committee/UFF (CAAE: 69467323.8.0000.5243). Volunteers participated in a hybrid format with remote and in-person activities. Data collected included sleep quality (PSQI), weight, height, BMI, Waist Circumference (WC), Neck Circumference (NC), and markers of healthy eating assessed using the SISVAN questionnaire.

Resultados

The in-person activity included 46 students (Fem: 30), with an average age of 28±8.9 years. All participants had poor sleep quality according to the PSQI, with an average sleep duration of 5.8 hours (47 minutes of sleep latency) and 43.5% were overweight/obese, though most did not have cardiovascular risk based on WC and NC. Regarding dietary habits, 85% ate meals while using screens, and 27 students had more than 4 meals per day. Daily consumption of healthy foods included 71% eating beans, 52.2% eating fruits, and 60.9% eating vegetables and legumes. Among unhealthy foods, 57% of students consumed sweets daily. A feeding window of >12 hours was reported by 6 students who skip breakfast, as prolonged fasting interferes with sleep quality.

Conclusões

There was a good consumption of healthy foods, given that students eat lunch at the University Restaurant. However, daily consumption of sugary drinks and snacks could contribute to excess weight and impact sleep quality. The intervention program is needed to guide students in managing their eating habits to improve sleep and academic success.

Palavras -chave

Telenutrition, Sleep Quality, Nutrition, Mental Health