Comparison of Frequency of GIT-Related Health Issues Between Day Scholar and Hostelite Undergraduate Students in Relation to Diet, Exercise and Smoking

Résumé

ABSTRACT

Background: Gastrointestinal (GIT) health is an important marker of individual well-being and may be impacted by diet, exercise, smoking, and living conditions. Undergraduate students represent a population particularly vulnerable to lifestyle-related GIT disorders, yet limited comparative data exist between hostelites and day scholars in Pakistan. To assess the difference in frequency of GIT health issues between hostelite and day scholar undergraduate students in relation to their dietary habits, exercise patterns, and smoking status. Methodology: We conducted a comparative descriptive cross-sectional study among 385 undergraduate students from institutions in Peshawar between 20th November 2023 and 12th January 2024. Convenience sampling was used for participant recruitment. Dietary intake and GIT symptoms were assessed using the Short-Form Food Frequency Questionnaire (SFFFQ) and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), respectively. Statistical analyses including independent samples t-tests, Spearman’s rank correlation for categorical variables, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation for continuous variables were performed using SPSS version 25. Results: Of 385 participants, 210 were day scholars and 175 were hostelites. Approximately 42–45% in each group reported none to minimal GIT complaints, and total GIT symptom scores did not differ significantly between groups (t = 0.109, p = 0.913). Day scholars had a higher mean Dietary Quality Score (DQS) than hostelites (9.62 ± 1.49 vs. 9.29 ± 1.60; p = 0.038). Current smoking was somewhat more common among day scholars (6.7% vs. 3.4%). Correlation analysis identified significant associations between GIT symptoms and both dietary quality (r = 0.177, p = 0.019) and smoking status (ρ = 0.179, p = 0.018) in hostelites only. Hunger pains were the only individual GSRS symptom significantly elevated in hostelites (p = 0.019). Conclusion: Overall GIT symptom burden was similar between day scholars and hostelites, though day scholars had significantly better dietary quality. Associations between diet, smoking, and GIT symptoms were observed only in hostelites, suggesting that residential living may heighten susceptibility to lifestyle-related GIT risk factors though causal conclusions cannot be drawn from this cross-sectional study.