Vegetarianism among first-year students at a public university in Southern Brazil, 2018

Barros, Karoline Sampaio; Bierhals, Isabel Oliveira; Assunção, Maria Cecília Formoso

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Epidemiologia e Serviços de Saúde

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Original article • Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde 29 (4) • 2020 • https://doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742020000400009 copy

Vegetarianism among first-year students at a public university in Southern Brazil, 2018^* * Article derived from the dissertation entitled ‘Diet patterns among university students in Southern Brazil’, by Karoline Sampaio Barros, defended at the Federal University of Pelotas Post-Graduate Epidemiology Program in 2019.

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Objective

To identify vegetarianism prevalence and associated factors among students at a public university in Southern Brazil.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study carried out in 2017-2018 with first-year university students. A questionnaire was administered to assess diet type (omnivorous or vegetarian). Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).

Results

Of 2,706 eligible individuals, 1,841 formed part of the sample. The predominant type of diet was omnivorous (93.6%), followed by lacto-ovo vegetarian (5.4%), strict vegetarian (0.7%), ovo vegetarian (0.2%) and lacto vegetarian (0.1%). Females (OR=0.58 – 95%CI 0.38;0.89), students reporting harmful use of alcohol (OR=2.02 – 95%CI 1.34;3.04) and students enrolled in Linguistics, Modern Languages and Arts courses – compared to those enrolled in Applied Social Sciences and Humanities courses (OR=2.59 – 95%CI 1.42;4.71) – were more likely to be vegetarians.

Conclusion

Vegetarian diet was associated with the female sex, alcohol use, and taking linguistics, modern language and arts courses.

Feeding Behavior; Diet, Vegetarian; Vegetarians; Students; Universities; Cross-Sectional Studies

Variable	n (%)
Age (complete years)
18-19	754 (41.2)
20-22	599 (32.8)
≥23	475 (26.0)
Sex
Female	1,009 (54.8)
Male	832 (45.2)
Race/skin color
White	1,324 (71.9)
Black/brown/other	517 (28.1)
Economic class (ABEP)^a
A/B	1,124 (61.0)
C	640 (34.8)
D/E	77 (4.2)
Lives with whom
With family members (father, mother, siblings, partner)	1,113 (61.5)
Alone	232 (12.6)
With friends	476 (25.9)
Course area of knowledge
Exact and Earth/Agrarian Sciences and Engineering	536 (29.1)
Health and Biological Sciences	328 (17.8)
Applied Social Sciences and Humanities	633 (34.4)
Linguistics, Modern Languages and Art	344 (18.7)
Prejudicial alcohol use^b (AUDIT≥8)^c
No	1,128 (66.8)
Yes	561 (33.2)
Current tobacco smoking
Non-smoker/former smoker	1,639 (89.0)
Smoker	202 (11.0)
Physical activity during leisure – IPAQ^d
Active	1,016 (55.2)
Not active	824 (44.8)
Body mass index (BMI)^e
Underweight	93 (5.1)
Normal weight	1,160 (63.5)
Overweight	396 (21.7)
Obese	178 (9.7)
Diet patterns
Omnivorous	1,723 (93.6)
Strict vegetarian	14 (0.7)
Lacto-ovo vegetarian	99 (5.4)
Lacto vegetarian	2 (0.1)
Ovo vegetarian	3 (0.2)

L^a	Variable	OR^b (crude)	95%CI^c	p-value^d	OR^b (adjusted)	95%CI^c	p-value^e
1	Age (complete years)			0.127			0.099
	18-19	1.00			1.00
	20-22	1.55	1.01;2.04		1.67	1.05;2.68
	≥23	1.16	0.71;1.90		1.30	0.75;2.25
1	Sex			0.005			0.013
	Female	1.00			1.00
	Male	0.58	0.39;0.86		0.58	0.38;0.89
1	Race/skin color			0.548			0.559
	White	1.00			1.00
	Black/brown/other	1.13	0.75;1.70		1.13	0.75;1.70
1	Economic class (ABEP)^f			0.809			0.619
	A/B	1.00			1.00
	C	0.91	0.61;1.35		0.84	0.56;1.27
	D/E	0.77	0.27;2.15		0.70	0.25;2.00
2	Lives with whom			0.001			0.052
	With family members (father, mother, siblings, partner)	1.00			1.00
	Alone	0.70	0.34;1.42		0.82	0.40;1.70
	With friends	1.89	1.27;2.81		1.68	1.09;2.59
2	Course area of knowledge			0.001			0.011
	Applied Social Sciences and Humanities	1.00			1.00
	Exact and Earth/Agrarian Sciences and Engineering	0.66	0.38;1.14		1.85	0.97;3.51
	Health and Biological Sciences	1.21	0.71;2.08		1.39	0.77;2.50
	Linguistics, Modern Languages and Art	1.94	1.21;3.12		2.59	1.42;4.71
2	Prejudicial alcohol use (AUDIT≥8)^g			0.001			0.001
	No	1.00			1.00
	Yes	1.92	1.30;2.84		2.02	1.34;3.04
2	Current tobacco smoking			0.081			0.402
	Non-smoker/former smoker	1.00			1.00
	Smoker	1.61	0.96;2.70		1.27	0.72;2.24
2	Physical activity during leisure – IPAQ^h			0.724			0.318
	Active	1.00			1.00
	Not active	0.93	0.64;1.36		0.81	0.54;1.22
2	Body mass index – IMCⁱ			0.160			0.188
	Normal weight	1.00			1.00
	Underweight	2.09	1.06;4.10		0.46	0.22;0.94
	Overweight	0.91	0.56;1.50		0.47	0.21;1.06
	Obese	1.12	0.60;2.12		0.57	0.23;1.42

Food	n (%)	Omnivorous % (95%CI^a)	Vegetarian % (95%CI^a)	p-value^b
Healthy diet markers
Beans (n=1,837)	1,046 (56.9)	56.2 (53.8;58.5)	68.4 (59.9;76.8)	0.012
Fresh fruit (n=1,833)	1,023 (55.8)	44.9 (42.6;47.3)	66.7 (58.1;75.2)	0.016
Greens and/or vegetables (n=1,830)	1,240 (66.8)	66.8 (64.5;69.0)	82.1 (75.1;89.0)	<0.001
Unhealthy diet markers
Hamburger and/or charcuterie (n=1,833)	646 (35.2)	37.3 (35.0;39.5)	5.9 (1.6;10.2)	<0.001
Sweetened drinks (n=1,832)	1,162 (63.4)	64.5 (62.2;66.7)	47.9 (38.8;56.9)	<0.001
Instant noodles (n=1,823)	493 (27.0)	27.5 (25.4;29.6)	20.5 (13.2;27.9)	0.107
Filled sweet biscuits, candies or desserts (n=1,826)	956 (52.3)	52.3 (49.9;54.7)	53.0 (43.9;62.1)	0.924

Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente - Ministério da Saúde do Brasil SRTVN Quadra 701, Via W5 Norte, Lote D, Edifício P0700, CEP: 70719-040, +55 61 3315-3464, Fax: +55 61 3315-3464 - Brasília - DF - Brazil
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[1] Correspondence: Isabel Oliveira Bierhals – Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia, Rua Marechal Deodoro, no. 1160, 3º piso, Centro, Pelotas, RS, Brazil. Postcode: 96020-220 E-mail: isabelbierhals@gmail.com