Anthropometric Status and Eating Behavior as Predictors of University Students’ Academic Achievement

Nutrition, Health, and Education are fundamental pillars of human resource development index. University students are the future nation-builders hence investment in their health and education will actually lead to a strong and developed nation. The study generally investigated the interplay of anthropometric status, academic performance and eating behavior of university students. It specifically investigated the students’ anthropometric status, their academic performance and their eating behavior on healthy eating habits, emotional and personal eating styles, and consciousness in food safety. The descriptive correlational research design was utilized in the study with sixty randomly sampled participants. Results revealed that majority of the respondents were in normal weight, have good academic standing, and have neutral eating behavior. Test of difference showed that males have higher weight than females, students with higher weekly allowance, and whose parents have higher level of educational attainment and family income have higher BMI. Likewise, in terms of eating behaviors, those who have high academic performance, mothers are professionals, and from teacher education department have the highest assessment on their healthy eating habits while no significant difference was found on the academic performance of the respondents. Test of relationship revealed that academic achievement is correlated to the students’ healthy eating habits. Moreover, regression analysis showed that nutritional status and healthy eating habits predict the academic performance of the university students at 16.5 percent strength of association. Results of the study will serve as a basis for educational health intervention and promotion.

Keywords – Nutritional Status, Academic Performance, BMI, Eating Behavior, University Students