Association of Dietary Skipping and Screen Time with Academic Stress among College-Going Girls: A Cross-Sectional Study at MGM University, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Abstract:

College-going girls often face lifestyle changes and academic burden, which can have a profound impact on their diet and overall health. The present study was undertaken to explore the association of dietary skipping, screen time and academic stress among college girls of MGM University, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was conducted among 153 college going girls of 17–23 years and above. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on dietary habits (skipping meals), lifestyle (screen time, stress) and anthropometric measurements to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI). The data were analyzed using frequency and percentage distribution. It was found an association between high basic nutrition awareness and high prevalence of unhealthy behaviors (85.6 %). The most important issue was skipping meals (59.2%) and the majority of the participants (74%) were skipping breakfast regularly. Lifestyle analysis showed high sedentary behavior with 31.4% spending 4-6 hours daily on mobile/TV screens. Distracted eating while watching screens was 55.6%. Academic and personal stress was highly common, with 29.4% reporting it often and 52.3% sometimes. Anthropometric data indicated a double burden of malnutrition with 54.9% had normal BMI, 24.2% were underweight, 17.0% overweight and 3.9% obese. A clear gap between knowledge and practice was identified, with 57.9% of participants admitting to eating junk food despite knowing the negative health consequences. Findings showed significant co-occurrence of frequent dietary skipping, increased screen time usage and extensive academic stress in college going girls. Good theory and good behavior are clearly disassociated. The study emphasizes the importance of implementing campus-specific interventions, including practical nutrition education, mindful screen habits, and institutional stress management programs, to safeguard the long-term health of young women.