The Association of Fast Food Consumption and Short-Term Memory in Students Residing in Dormitories of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Recent studies have suggested that fast food consumption is correlated to different aspects of cognitive functioning. This study aimed at investigating the association between fast-food consumption and short-term memory in students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

In this cross-sectional study, 182 undergraduate students were selected using a simple random sampling method from affiliated dormitories of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Demographic and anthropometric data and the frequency of fast food, salad, soft drink, and doogh consumption were obtained from each person. Then, Wechsler standard memory test was carried out to evaluate short-term memory.

According to the results, respectively 1.3%, 18.4%, 25.3%, and 55.1% of the students consumed fast food less than once, 1-2 times, 3-4 times, 5 times, and more per week. Although fast-food consumption was higher in girls and seniors compared to boys and freshmen students, the difference was not statistically significant. Moreover, there was no significant correlation between fast food and salad consumption with short-term memory (P = 0.556 and P = 0.051, respectively); however, higher consumption of fast food and salad was accompanied by lower memory score. Besides, short-term memory was positively correlated with soft drinks (P <0.001) and inversely with doogh, (P <0.001).

fast food consumption is high in dormitory residents and its consumption is related to the lower score of short term memory.