Dietary characterstics in relation to personality traits of high-school and university students

Abstract

Individualne razlike u crtama ličnosti utječu na prehrambene navike, no njihov utjecaj još nije u potpunosti razjašnjen. Cilj je bio utvrditi povezanost pet velikih dimenzija crta ličnosti (prema Kardum i sur, 2006.) s prehrambenim i životnim navikama, stanjem uhranjenosti, vlastitim stavom o uhranjenosti i prakticiranjem brzih dijeta srednjoškolaca i studenata. Provedeno je opažajno istraživanje kojim je obuhvaćeno 85 srednjoškolaca (75,3 % djevojaka, 24,7 % mladića, prosječne dobi 17,2 godina) i 66 studenata (65,2 % djevojaka, 34,8 % mladića, prosječne dobi 23,8 godina). Prema izračunatom indeksu tjelesne mase (BMI) 9,4 % srednjoškolaca i 4,5 % studenata je pothranjeno, 12,9 % srednjoškolaca i 24,2 % studenata povećane tjelesne mase, a 3,5 % srednjoškolaca je pretilo. No prema osobnom stavu o uhranjenosti 24,7 % srednjoškolaca i 25,8 % studenata smatra kako imaju povećanu tjelesnu masu. Obje skupine pokazuju podjednake prehrambene i životne navike (promatrane kao suma bodova). Studenti postižu nešto veći rezultat na svim skalama crta ličnosti, osim za neuroticizam koji je jače izražen među srednjoškolcima, a najveća je razlika na skali ugodnosti (33,1 ± 4,8 studenti; 30,1 ± 5,6 srednjoškolci, p<0,001). Osim kod srednjoškolki za otvorenost (r=0,623) nije utvrđena značajna povezanost između sume bodova i pojedinih crta ličnosti. Ipak, pojedine crte ličnosti su potvrđene kao neovisni čimbenici rizika (logističkom regresijom) za povećani BMI (neuroticizam), promijenjenu sliku o vlastitom tijelu (ugodnost i ekstraverzija) i prakticiranje brzih dijeta (ekstraverzija) kod obje skupine.Individual differences in personality traits influence dietary habits, but their influence has not yet been elucidated. The aim was to examine the relationship between five big personality traits (according to Kardum et al., 2006.) with dietary and lifestyle habits, state of nourishment, body image perception and fad dieting practice among high-school and university students. An observational study encompassed 85 high-school students (75.3 % girls, 24.7 % boys, average age 17.2 yr) and 66 university students (65.2 % girls, 34.8 % boys, average age 23.8 yr). According to calculated body mass index (BMI) 9.4 % of high-school and 4.5 % of university students are underweight, 12.9 % of high-school and 24.2 % of university students are overweight, and 3.5 % of high-school students are obese. However, body image perception showed that 24.7 % of high-school and 25.8 % of university students think of themselves as overweight/obese. Fad dieting is a common practice in both groups (58.8 % of high-school and 59.1 % of university students). Both groups showed comparable dietary and lifestyle habits (observed as the sum of points). University students achieve slightly higher results on all personality traits scales except for neuroticism which is more expressed among high-school students, with the biggest difference for agreeableness (33.1 ± 4.8 university vs 30.1 ± 5.6 high-school students, p<0.001). Except for high-school girls for openness (r=0,623) no significant correlation was found between the sum of points and each personality traits. However, some personality traits are confirmed as independent risk factors (with logistic regression analysis) for overweight/obese BMI (neuroticism), changed body image perception (agreeableness and extraversion) and fad dieting (extroversion) in both groups