Abstract:
In Pakistan, growing concerns about unhealthy eating habits among university students have highlighted the need to understand how diet affects academic performance. This study investigated the relationship between eating habits and academic performance among university students; nutrition is considered a major determinant of cognitive functioning and overall well-being. The study design was quantitative cross-sectional, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire that studied demographic characteristics, dietary behaviors, and academic performance of 382 students. The majority of the students reported good eating habits (74.1%), while 53.4% demonstrated good academic performance. On the other hand, chi-square analysis yielded no significant association between overall eating habits and academic performance (χ² (1) = 0.451, p = 0.503). Further analysis examined the associations of eating habits with demographic variables. There were no significant associations between dietary habits and gender, age, year of study, or field of study, which suggests that dietary patterns were relatively constant across student groups. The only demographic variable significantly associated with eating habits was residence status (χ² = 8.622, p = 0.013); residents in hostels had poorer dietary habits compared with those living with family. Although the research has not found a direct link between eating habits and academic performance, the findings emphasize important contextual factors affecting students' nutritional choices. Its reliance on self-reported data, its cross-sectional design, and the single-institution sample may limit the generalizability of the results. Overall, this study maintains the importance of stronger nutrition education, supportive campus environments, and future longitudinal research to better elucidate how eating habits relate to academic outcomes over time.
