Bread consumption, attitudes and behaviours of university students and its relation with obesity

In this study, it has been aimed to detect bread consumption, attitude, behaviors of university students due to rising epidemic of obesity and perception that bread fattens up and to relate with obesity. For this purpose, bread consumption and ponderal status cases were addressed and obesity scanning among university students was done. Students of Zirve University between the age group of 18-31 forms the population Sample was not selected and totally 250 persons formed the research group at the equal number in both groups one of which is other department students accepted to participate in the research and the other is all Nutrition and Dietetics Department students. Written informed consents of participators were obtained; data reliability and validity analysis was made and the researcher was enabled to talk face to face with the participators via questionnaire form. Statistical analysis of the gathered questionnaire data was made. From anthropometric measurements; height, weight, waist circumference and hip circumference measurements were made by the researched in accordance with the literature and obesity cases were detected. Bread consumption amounts were discussed one by one with the participators and recorded by the researcher. As the result of the study; while low birth weight is related to high BMI, high birth weight is related to waist circumference among women and directly related to obesity (p=0.0001). Overweight and obesity prevalence among men is higher than women. There is meaningful statistical relation between alcohol usages and BMI groups (p=0.027). Excess bread consumption is related to high BMI and obesity (p=0.0001). However, low bread consumption is related to high waist circumference and considerably higher than the bread consumption of women in increased risk and obesity of participators having normal weight (p=0.003;0.024). Relation between men's waist circumference groups and macaroni consumption instead of bread, and this relation was thought to be caused by macaroni nutrient consumed much more by obese individuals with regard to other two groups. Similarly, consuming pizza and rice instead of bread is seen related to obesity (p=0.033). However, among women, cereals preferred instead of bread was found related to high waist circumference (p=0.025) and thought to cause the said relation in other nutrients not contained in the questionnaire (p=0.004). As a result; bread consumption was found related to obesity in this study. While low bread consumption, nutrients consumed instead of bread and over bread consumption are related to increased obesity risk and obesity, sufficient bread consumption is related to normal healthy individuals. Compared to other department students due to the education received by students of Nutrition and Dietetics Department, it can be said that they exhibit more conscious approaches in their attitudes and behaviors against bread. It was observed that they also have more conscious approaches in obesity perception. Keywords: Obesity, bread consumption, BMI, waist circumference, bread attitude behavior