Higher cardiovascular disease risk factor knowledge was positively correlated with healthy nutritional attitudes (r=0.279, p<0.001) and walking (r=0.178, p=0.004), but not psychological factors.
Cross-Sectional (n=434)
Does increased knowledge of cardiovascular disease risk factors correlate with better nutritional attitudes, physical activity, and psychological well-being in health sciences students?
Increased knowledge of CVD risk factors among health science students is associated with better nutritional attitudes and increased walking, but not with psychological factors or high-intensity physical activity.
Effect estimate: r=0.279 (ASHN), r=0.178 (walking MET)
p-value: p=<0.001 (ASHN), 0.004 (walking MET)
Aims: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between health science students' knowledge level of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and their nutritional attitudes, physical activity level, depression, anxiety, and stress.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 434 undergraduate students (79% female, 21% male) studying at the Faculty of Health Sciences. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Knowledge Level (CARRF-KL), nutritional attitudes (Attitude Scale for Healthy Nutrition (ASHN)), physical activity level, depression, stress, and anxiety levels (DASS-21) were assessed. Since there is no cutoff point for CARRF-KL, the data were analyzed by separating them into quartiles.Results: The mean CARRF-KL score of the students was 19.98±5.06. Students with higher CARRF-KL scores had statistically significantly higher ASHN and walking MET values (p0.05). The scores for vigorous and moderate physical activity and DASS-21 were similar in the CARRF-KL groups (p0.05). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between CARRF-KL and the ASHN (r=0.279, p0.001) and walking MET (r=0.178, p=0.004).Conclusion: Increased knowledge about CVD risk factors was associated with increased healthy daily behaviors, such as walking, and nutrition attitudes, but not with psychological factors or high-intensity physical activity. Since health science students will be professionals providing health counseling to the community, increasing their knowledge and awareness of CVD risk factors is crucial. Increased knowledge may make healthy lifestyle behaviors sustainable, thus enabling them to serve as role models.
Güneş et al. (Tue,) reported a cross-sectional. Cardiovascular disease risk factor knowledge vs. Lower knowledge levels was evaluated on Nutritional attitudes (ASHN) and walking MET (r=0.279 (ASHN), r=0.178 (walking MET), p=<0.001 (ASHN), 0.004 (walking MET)). Higher cardiovascular disease risk factor knowledge was positively correlated with healthy nutritional attitudes (r=0.279, p<0.001) and walking (r=0.178, p=0.004), but not psychological factors.