title: Food consumption patterns and bowel movements of final-year nursing students in Ile-Ife, Nigeria: an implication for applied nutrition in the nursing curriculum.
abstract: A study was made of the food consumption patterns and bowel movements of final-year Nigerian nursing students. The percentage frequencies for refined carbohydrates, animal protein and fats were higher than those for legumes and fruits which are rich in fibre. Of the 115 participants, 31 per cent had less than four bowel movements per week. Knowledge of the role of nutrition in preventing chronic non-contagious diseases was poor. It is suggested that more should be done to make the public aware of the role of diet in the aetiology, treatment and prevention of degenerative diseases and that a course of applied nutrition should be included in the nursing curriculum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Ojofeitimi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003479:Curriculum; D003672:Defecation; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D013338:Students, Nursing