Effect of different health education approaches on dietary behavior among students in medical schools

Objective To evaluate the recent dietary behavior among medical school students after health education intervention.Methods Junior and senior nursing students of a medical school in Baotou were selected and randomly divided into different health education approach groups, including posters group, lecture group, We Chat group, Rain class group and control group.Dietary behaviors among students in different groups were evaluated before and 30 days after health education.Logistic multivariate regression analysis was used to investigate associated factors of dietary behavior.Results Before health education, no difference in dietary behaviors among students of different education groups, in terms of age, sex, ethnicity, knowledge chronic diseases, and dietary behaviors, which were comparable.After health education, the dietary knowledge scores were highest in poster group, followed by lecture, We Chat and rain classes and control group.Dietary behaviors of all health education groups increased.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, We Chat and rain classrooms health education and dietary knowledge associated with dietary behaviors, while family members suffering from chronic diseases, boarding school students, BMI, family residence, gender, ethnicity and chronic disease status were irrelevant with dietary behaviors.Conclusion Dietary health education of chronic disease prevention and control have positive effect on dietary behaviors among medical school students.Social media for health promotion including We Chat and rain classes are superior compared with traditional approaches including posters and lectures.Dietary behavior increases with age, acceptance of health education and improvement of dietary knowledge.