2023 Volume 20 Pages 49-60
Background: A cross-sectional study reports that eating and sleep statuses are significantly related to the status of academic achievement. However, no data are available regarding a large-scale prospective longitudinal study on daily habits and academic achievement. Purpose: This large-scale prospective longitudinal study thus aimed to examine whether eating behavior and sleepiness statuses of the first-year college students affect academic achievements of junior or senior years. Methods: According to both eating behavior and sleepiness statuses, 2,351 / 2,328 first-year college physical education class students were classified into quartiles, and scores of Total Grade Point Average (T-GPA) and the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for prevalence of each Case (T-GPA ≥ 3.00 or T-GPA < 2.00) at the end of third-year students were compared. Results: T-GPA were significantly higher in Q4 than in Q1 and Q2 (indicating that Q1 is the worst and Q4 is the best eating behavior or sleepiness status), and these differences remained significant after normalizing for confounding factors. In eating behavior status, compared to Q1, odds ratios for T-GPA < 2.00 prevalence were 0.60 (0.45-0.72) and 0.64 (0.48-0.86) for Q3 and Q4, respectively. In sleepiness status, compared to Q1, odds ratios for T-GPA ≥ 3.00 prevalence were 1.47 (1.01-2.15) and 1.64 (1.13-2.38) for Q2 and Q4, respectively. Conclusions: These results from our large-scale prospective longitudinal study indicate that eating behavior and sleepiness statuses of the first-year college students are closely associated with the statuses of academic achievements at junior or senior years.
