Thesis (MNutr (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Human Nutrition))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of the study was to determine the nutritional
status of vegetarian and non-vegetarian students in relation to their dietary
preferences and risk factors (dietary, physical inactivity and obesity) for CHD.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional analytical study.
Setting: The Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS)
situated in the province of Cavite, Philippines.
METHODS: The sampling frame was all graduate students at AIIAS (n=203). Of
these students 153 returned the distributed dietary questionnaires which
determined dietary practices, thus yielding a stratified random sample of 70
registered students (≥20y and ≤50y) who met the inclusion criteria of the study.
Three 24-hour recalls and a self-administered food frequency questionnaire
assessed dietary practices. Lifestyle was assessed by means of questionnaires,
which also included the socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects.
Anthropometric measurements included height, weight and waist circumferences.
RESULTS: Seventy subjects participated in the study [non-vegetarian (n=38)
and vegetarian (n=32)]. The mean age of subjects was 33.3 [(SD) 1.6] and 38.4
(1.9) years for non-vegetarian and vegetarian males respectively, with the
respective means for females being 35.7 (2.0) and 33.2 (2.1) years. The majority
of the vegetarians’ income was insignificantly below $10.000 as compared with
that of non-vegetarians’, in whom annual income earned was within the $10.000-
$50.000 range per year. Variations in level of education between the dietary
groups were small and inconsistent, most of whom were characterized by a high
education level. Within this cohort, mean BMI and WC were insignificantly lower
in the vegetarians when compared with the non-vegetarians. For males, the
prevalence of overweight, pre-obese and obese (p>0.05) for non-vegetarians
was insignificantly higher than vegetarians. Insignificantly, female vegetarians
were more pre-obese than non-vegetarians. As far as waist circumference was
concerned, the prevalence of subjects observed in the alerting (≥94cm) and
action zone (≥102cm) (p≤0.05) was 21% and 4% for non-vegetarian males, while
0% and 6% for vegetarian males. For females, more vegetarians were insignificantly prevalent in the alerting zone (≥80cm) as compared to the nonvegetarians.
Both dietary cohorts illustrated no considerable differences that
exemplified moderate to a high level of physical activity. All subjects, regardless
of dietary preference, were non-smokers and consumed no alcohol (p>0.05).
Overall, mean daily nutrient intake met current recommendations and there was
no statistically significant difference between the two cohorts, except for fat and
saturated fatty acids (SFA), which was higher among the non-vegetarians.
Carbohydrate and fiber consumption was greater in the vegetarians. According to
the DRIs, there were no intakes above the UL, however inadequate intakes of
calcium and zinc posed possible risk of deficiency for both dietary groups.
CONCLUSIONS: A small percentage of subjects in both cohorts were at risk of
CHD morbidity. Both groups followed good lifestyle habits with dietary choices
being of greater concern among non-vegetarians.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2899 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Jenneke, Cindy A. N. |
| Contributors | Labadarios, D., Herselman, M. G., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Human Nutrition. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 418783 bytes, application/pdf |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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