The Impact of Nutritional Intake and Meal Skipping on the Academic Performance of Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Philippine Catholic University

Background: Nutrition plays a crucial role in overall well-being and academic performance. Skipping meals and imbalanced dietary intake may affect cognitive function and learning outcomes. Therefore, this study aims to determine the correlation between nutritional intake, meal skipping, and academic performance among third-year nursing students at a Philippine Catholic university. Methods: In this study, a quantitative, descriptive-correlational research design was employed. A total of 77 nursing students were selected using total population sampling. Moreover, data collection involved a survey assessing demographic characteristics, dietary habits, and academic performance. The relationship between nutritional intake, meal skipping, and academic performance was analyzed using Pearson’s r-correlation. Results: The majority of respondents were female, aged 20-21 years, with heights ranging from 152 to 186 cm. Furthermore, breakfast was the most frequently skipped meal. Academic performance was classified as "good," with a mean general weighted average (GWA) of 81.75±2.17%. Nutritional intake analysis also revealed deficiencies in essential food groups, except for dairy products, while chips and sweets were consumed in excess. Correlation analysis showed no significant relationship between nutritional intake and academic performance, nor between the frequency of skipped meals and academic achievement. Conclusions: This study found no significant correlation between nutritional intake, meal skipping, and academic performance among nursing students. To improve students’ nutritional habits, collaborations with nutritionists and enhanced nutrition and diet therapy programs are recommended.