Abstract
This cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between dietary practices, eating behaviors, and post-COVID-19 cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence among 300 Ecuadorian health sciences students who recovered from COVID-19. The study aimed to evaluate the internal consistency of dietary-related dimensions, identify latent factors via exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and examine associations using principal component analysis (PCA). Data were collected through validated questionnaires assessing six dimensions: dietary composition, food consumption patterns, nutritional knowledge, hydration habits, psychological and social factors, and cardiovascular health perception. EFA identified two latent factors: one linked to food consumption and psychosocial variables, and another associated with nutritional knowledge and cardiovascular health perception. Cronbach’s alpha values, ranging from 0.791 to 0.940, confirm excellent internal consistency. PCA extracted two principal components, explaining 78.6% of the total variance, with biplot visualizations illustrating strong associations between dimensions and components. These findings highlight the significance of dietary and psychosocial factors in post-COVID-19 cardiovascular risk. The integration of EFA and PCA provided a robust framework for analyzing complex behavioral data, offering insights into the interplay of dietary patterns and health outcomes. This study underscores the need for holistic public health strategies addressing dietary and psychosocial dimensions to mitigate CVD risks in post-COVID populations, with implications for preventive interventions in Ecuador and similar contexts.