Profil des habitudes alimentaires et mode de vie des étudiants de la faculté de médecine – Université Amar Telidji - Laghouat 2025-2026.

Abstract

Physical and mental health are closely linked to lifestyle habits acquired early in life. The university period represents a critical transition where nutritional balance, sleep, stress, and physical activity directly influence the long-term risk of non- communicable diseases (NCDs). This study aims to determine the dietary profile and lifestyle characteristics of medical students at the University of Laghouat. - Materials and Methods : A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over one month, among 140 students at the Faculty of Medicine – Laghouat. Convenience sampling was performed via an online self-administered questionnaire (Google Forms) distributed across different academic years. Data were analyzed using Excel and IBM SPSS (v31.0), employing descriptive analysis and the Chi-square χ² test of independence. - Results : The sample (N=140 ; mean age =22.12 ± 2.20 years ; M/F sex-ratio=0.28), primarily composed of medical students, showed anemia as the most frequent medical history (18.6%). A shift in dietary habits since entering university was reported by a large majority of students (79.3%), revealing generally unbalanced behaviors (irregular meals, skipping meals, snacking, weekly fast-food and sugary drink consumption). Additionally, more than half of the subjects were sedentary (53.6%) and had insufficient sleep of less than 7 hours per night (55.7%), although the mean BMI remained normal (21.79 kg/m²). The Chi-square tests showed that stress management is significantly associated with physical activity (p-value=0.004) and socio- economic status (p-value=0.008). No correlation was established between BMI and sociodemographic data like age and sexe, nor between stress and academic progression. - Conclusion : The study reveals a paradox between maintaining a normal body weight and adopting deleterious health behaviors among these future healthcare providers. The influence of socio-economic status and sedentariness on stress management highlights the vulnerability of this population. These findings justify targeted preventive interventions in university and hospital settings to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent the future emergence of non- communicable diseases.