Burnout status among Health and Non-Health Sciences students during the COVID-19 pandemic

a nutritional perspective

Autores/as

  • Yasemin Karaagac Izmir Kâtip Çelebi University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics.
  • Esra Tunçer Ankara University, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7151-842X
  • Hilal Şimşek Ankara University, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2744-1610
  • Vahide Tas Özdemir Hasan Kalyoncu University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8784-338X
  • Nurcan Yabanci Ayhan Ankara University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Palabras clave:

Burnout, COVID-19, Feeding behavior, Students health occupations, Students

Resumen

Objective
The study aimed to assess the factors associated with burnout among university students studying online during the COVID-19 lockdown, with a focus on nutrition and lifestyle habits.

Methods
This cross-sectional web-based study was conducted with university students in Türkiye. Demographic characteristics, dietary habits, dietary supplement usage, the Multidimensional COVID-19 scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Scale of university students were questioned with an online survey.

Results
A total of 747 students (health science faculties:68.9% and non-health faculties:31.1%) participated in the study. Non-health sciences students had higher median scores of emotionalexhaustion (17 vs 15), cynicism (13 vs 10), and total Multi-Dimensional COVID-19 scale (84 vs 80) than health sciences students (respectively; p=0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001). The emotional exhaustion score was positively associated with thoughts about COVID-19 (β=0.266, p<0.001) and negatively with paying attention to diet (β=-1,142, p=0.005). Students who consumed meat, eggs, and legumes at least once a day had lower emotional exhaustion (β=-0.925, p=0.029),
cynicism scores (β=-0.804, p=0.025), and higher academic efficacy (β= 0.550, p=0.034). Consumption of milk and dairy products at least once a day was negatively related to emotional exhaustion (β=-0.844, p=0.033) and cynicism (β=-0.817, p=0.015). Students who consumed at least five daily portions of fruit and vegetables had greater academic efficacy (β=0.669, p=0.015).

Conclusion
Faculty, grade, thoughts about COVID-19, precautions taken related to COVID-19, and paying attention to diet are the factors that affect students’ burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health education and adopting healthy eating habits are beneficial for combating burnout in critical periods such as pandemics.

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Publicado

2025-06-12

Cómo citar

Karaagac, Y., Tunçer, E., Şimşek, H., Özdemir, V. T., & Ayhan, N. Y. (2025). Burnout status among Health and Non-Health Sciences students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nutritional perspective. Revista De Nutrição, 37. Recuperado a partir de https://seer.sis.puc-campinas.edu.br/nutricao/article/view/16195

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AVALIAÇÃO NUTRICIONAL