The Effect of Daytime Jobs on the Dietary Behaviors and Nutrient Intakes among Evening Class University Students

Choi, Hyun Ju; Jun, Ye Sook; Park, Min Kyung; Choi, Mi Kyeong

Abstract

This study was conducted among the university students to investigate the effects of working in an daytime and studying in an evening class on dietary behaviors and nutrient intakes. A 24-hour recall method was used along with food frequency questionnaires. The subjects were composed of three groups : 172 were in the daytime calss regular student group(RS), 178 were evening class students without a job(ESWOJ), and 140 were evening class students with a job(ESWJ). An average age of the ESWJ was 31 years old, which was 9 years older than the RS and 7 years older than the ESWOJ. The types of the residence were significantly different among the groups ; were seif-boarding 74% of the ESWJ stayed at home while 47% of the RS were self-boarding and 61% of the ESWOJ. The survey shows that while a great majority of the RS and ESWOJ has breakfast and supper at home, about 10% and 17% of the ESWJ ate breakfast and supper, respectively, at the cafeteria in their work place. The most frequently skipped meal was the breakfast in all groups. Approximately 9% of the ESWJ tended to skip the breakfast, while 27% of the RS and 33% of the ESWOJ did. It turns out that the mose common reason why ESWJ skipped meals was due to a lack of time. About 71% of the ESWJ ate out more than once a week compared to 57% and 62% of the RS and ESWOJ, respectively. Approximately 30% of the ESWJ ate out more than once a week compared to 57% and 62% of the RS and ESWOJ, respectively. Approximately 30% of the ESWJ spent less than 10 minutes at meal time, showing a hurried eating habit. The results show that the ESWJ tended to eat a variety of food s and eat less instant foods, but drink coffee more often compared to the other two groups. The results also show that in all groups, the intakes of energy, Ca, and vitamin A were lower than the Korean Recommended Daily Allowances(RDA). In addition to these nutrients, protein, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and niacin were also lower than the RDA in all make students, and Fe was lower than the RDA in all female students. Among the deficient nutrients, vitamin A showed the lowest % RDA : 48% in the male and 64% in the female students. Among the deficient nutrients, vitamin A showed the lowest % RDA ; 48% in the male and 64% in the female students. The intakes of Ca, Fe, and niacin in the ESWJ were significantly greater than those in the RS and ESWOJ groups, and the vitamin C intake in the ESWJ was greater than that in the ESWOJ(p<0.01). In conclusion, university students in all three groups have a serious imbalance in the nutrient intakes, and the evening class students with a daytime job have unhealthy dietary behaviors in the light of high frequency of eating out and heavy coffee drinking, a rushed eating pattern, and therefore showing a strong need of proper nutritional education for them.