Investigating the relationship between socio-economic status, eating behavior and physical activity of students in Qazvin during COVID-19 pandemic

Eating behavior has been associated with higher risks of chronic disease. However, there are a few studies on eating behavior considering the role of socioeconomic status (SES).

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between socio-economic status, eating behavior, and physical activity of students in Qazvin during COVID-19 pandemic.

This was a descriptive-correlational study and the statistical population was all students in District 1 of Qazvin in 2021. The participants were 110 students aged 11-13 who were randomly selected from 16 educational centers in urban and rural areas of Qazvin. For collecting data, a researcher-made questionnaire with socio-economic status, nutrition based on Food Frequency Questionnaire and physical activity based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) were used. Research data were analyzed by t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple-regression, using SPSS-20 software, at the statistical level of 0.05.

The results of Pearson test showed that family income level has a significant relationship with nutritional status and physical activity of 11-13 year old students (p=0.011 and p=0.003). Also, the results showed that the socio-economic status of parents predicts 50% of students' weight, height, physical activity and nutritional status.

The social and economic status of parents affects the nutritional status and physical activity of children. Providing the research findings to organizations and institutions related to children and adolescents in Qazvin province, families can be familiarized with the factors affecting the physical health of their children and they can be trained.