Study of common food habits among students of health colleges in dammam and its relation to lifestyle, social, economical, and health factors

Saudi society is one of the gulf societies that changed dramatically during the last three decades. The changes include life style, nutrition pattern and food habits. This study aimed to identify the common food habits among students of health colleges, beside clarifying its relation with other factors. A sample of 645 students [401 male and 244 female] aged 18 to 24 years were chosen from the two health colleges in Dammam. Data about socioeconomic status, health history, anthropometric measurements, and food habits were collected. Also, a special food habits measure consists of 25 parameters were used for classifying students according to their food habits. According to this measure, students were classified into three groups; students with bad food habits [BFH]; acceptable food habits [AFH]; and excellent food habits [EFH]. The results showed that 55.96% of students had bad food habits, and 35.97% had acceptable food habits, while 8.07% had excellent food habits. Also, the bad food habits were more common among males than females [66.8% vs. 38.1% respectively]. The majority of BHF group do not eat three meals daily; less than one fifth of them drink milk daily; 90.0% drink carbonated beverages daily; and the daily consumption from carbonated beverages among BHF group was significantly higher than AHF group [2.1 +/- 1.3 vs. 1.2 +/- 1.0 time/day respectively] [P<0.05]. The education of the majority of BHF and AHF fathers had less than university degree [79.3% and 82.4% respectively] while the education of the majority of fathers of EHF group had university degree or higher. In contrary the mother education had no effect where the education of more than 75% of mothers in this study was less than university. Moreover, more than 50% of EHF group suffer from underweight. In conclusion the majority of health sciences college students had bad food habits particularly males, and father education determine the acquired food habits. This study recommend promotion of healthy eating, habits and physical activity

Primary health care physicians' attitudes toward and assessment of continuing medical education in Al-Madina Al Munawara Province, Saudi, Arabia

To identify the primary health care [PHC] physicians attitudes toward and assessment of continuing medical education [CME] physicians in Al Munawara Province. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study with analytic component of 115 physicians in Al Munawara Province conducted in 2000. Of the participants, 83 or 72.2% of them were urban based and 32 or 37.8% were rural based. A self-administered questionnaire was designed for this study. Around 75% of PHC physicians received a basic CME training course during practice. The physicians who attended CME activities agreed that the CME activities were a stimulus for them to keep up-to-date [95.0%], improved practice [95.0%], gave more confidence and competence [78.3%], and offered opportunities [78.3%]. Primary health care physicians who evaluated the medical education centers' [MEC] contribution and continuing medical education programs [CME] with high marks got higher assessment scores than those who evaluated with low marks [P= 0.0074 and P = 0.021, respectively]. Primary health care physicians who had higher degrees and more experience in medical practice got higher attitudes scores than those who had fewer degrees and less experience [P= 0.0130 and P= 0.0096, respectively]. Continuing medical education was significantly affected by the physicians' experience in medical practice [P= 0.0173], number of PHC physicians in the working area [P= 0.0330], attachment to hospitals [P= 0.0382], and activities outside PHC centers [P= 0.0204]. The physicians' positive assessment of CME activities was significantly associated with a higher grade of evaluation of both the contribution of the MEC and CME. In addition, positive attitudes toward CME were significantly and positively associated with age, postgraduate qualifications, more experience in medical practice, and a higher grade of evaluation of both MEC contribution and CME achievement