Vol. 7, Issue 3, Part C (2024)

Background: Nutritional inadequacy in young female is detrimental as they may become pregnant and need to cope with the additional nutritional, physical and emotional demands of pregnancy, child birth and lactation.

Objective: This survey study aimed to describe nutritional knowledge and practice of female students at Baghdad and al-Mustanseria universities.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted utilising the researcher-developed questionnaire, verified by two community experts, and piloted in 50 medical students. This research sample (N=500) includes female second-, third-, and fourth-year college students from Bagdad and Al-Mustansiriya universities. We randomly selected five colleges from each university's administration part (Engineering, Science, Language, Ibn-rushd, Sports education) and Al-Mustanseria (Administration and economic, Education, Science, Engineering, Ethics). The student explained the study's goal and their rights as participants after university clearance. Female students received questionnaires at the start of college teaching classes or during individual meetings. Then the questionnaire instructions were presented aloud as participants silently followed. Filling out the surveys took 15 minutes. After completion, the questionnaire papers were collected. Answers were given to all 500 questionnaires. The data was analysed using frequency tab, cross tab, and chi-squared test (P<0.05).

Results: The study revealed that majority of respondents (60.6%) were within (18-21years), single (81.6%), 2nd.class (40.6%) and use private transport (57. 4%).Overall, and students had a moderate level of knowledge regarding nutrition. Age, year of study, marital status and type of transport affected nutritional knowledge and practice of students.

Conclusion: Nutritional knowledge affected practice. The pupils ate fewer than the recommended portions of milk and water and more meat, sweets and sugar, fast food, salt, and carbonated beverages with minimal physical activity. Healthy habits included eating fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish, and eggs.