Thesis:

eHealth literacy and nutritional status among students of mount Kenya university in Thika, Kiambu county, Kenya

About 30% of students in higher education institutions are overweight or obese, which raises concerns about the rising frequency of these conditions among young adults worldwide. One important aspect impacting lifestyle decisions, such as eating habits that impact nutritional status, is eHealth literacy. Although earlier study has shown a substantial correlation between eHealth literacy and the lifestyle choices of college students, there is still a dearth of studies in Sub-Saharan Africa, with no evaluations having been carried out in Kenya. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the nutritional status of university students in Kiambu County, Kenya, their dietary practices, socioeconomic and demographic features, and their level of eHealth literacy. At Mount Kenya University, an institution-based analytical cross-sectional study was carried out. The university was chosen because of its metropolitan location and young adult population. Convenient sampling was used to enroll 423 participants in total. Body Mass Index (BMI) was used to quantify nutritional status, and eHealth literacy was tested using the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS). A questionnaire given by the researcher was used to gather more information on the respondents' demographic and socioeconomic traits. Dietary diversity was examined in accordance with FAO criteria, and nutritional knowledge was evaluated using WHO dietary recommendations for a healthy BMI. To ascertain the connections between the independent variables; eHealth literacy, socioeconomic and demographic traits, dietary practices, and nutritional status data were examined using SPSS 25. Ethical considerations were rigorously observed throughout the study. The study found that most participants were male (57.9%), single (97.8%), and undergraduate students (67.2%) aged 18-22 years (71.8%). The mean eHealth literacy score was 29.12 (±4.121). Approximately 58% of participants demonstrated satisfactory nutrition knowledge. However, only 29.9% were classified as having a high eHealth literacy stage, based on a combination of eHEALS scores and nutrition knowledge assessment results. The mean BMI was 22.15 kg/m², with 73.9% of participants falling within the normal BMI range. The prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity was 7.4%, 17.0%, and 1.7%, respectively. Only 20.3% of the study population met the recommended meal frequency i.e., three main meals and two to three snacks daily. In this study, no significant relationship between eHealth literacy and nutritional status was established (x² = 0.021; CI 95%; p = 0.885). The study found that socio-economic and demographic characteristics have an influence on nutritional status as sex was observed in this study to influence the nutritional status of the participants. Male students were more likely than female students to have a normal BMI (Male; OR = 1.47; CI 95% (0.949 – 2.278); p = 0.085, AOR = 1.622; CI 95% (1.000 - 2.631); p = 0.050). A significant relationship between dietary practices and nutritional status was not found in this study (x² = 0.028; CI 95%; p = 0.964). The findings may be used to guide gender-specific nutrition interventions for university students.