ABSTRACT
College students are in a key life stage for the adoption of lifestyles that will be practiced in the family, society and work. During this period, students gain greater autonomy and take responsibility for their own care. University time becomes a critical step in the development of lifestyles. There is a high prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases in university students such as pre-hypertension especially in men and hypercholesterolemia in women. Other risk factors include smoking, physical inactivity, overweight, obesity, low fruit and vegetable consumption, and high consumption of saturated fats. Some differences of cardiovascular risk factors have been found according to gender, year of career and faculty where students attend. It is recommended to consider these differences when we design and perform educational interventions to achieve greater assertiveness and effectiveness. This article reviews the evidence about cardiovascular risk factors in university students according to gender, year of career and faculty where students attend, following the model proposed by Cecchini et al and according to the Framingham study.
Los estudiantes universitarios se encuentran en una etapa del ciclo vital clave para la adopción de estilos de vida, que practicarán en el ámbito familiar, social y laboral. En este periodo los estudiantes adquieren mayor autonomía y asumen la responsabilidad de su autocuidado, por lo cual se convierte en una etapa crítica para el desarrollo de sus estilos de vida. Existe una alta prevalencia de factores de riesgo de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles en los universitarios, entre los que destacan pre-hipertensión especialmente en hombres y la hipercolesterolemia en mujeres. También el tabaquismo, sedentarismo, sobrepeso, obesidad, bajo consumo de frutas y verduras, y alto consumo de grasas saturadas. Se encontraron diferencias en los factores de riesgo cardiovascular de acuerdo al género, curso y facultad de los estudiantes. Se recomienda consideran estas diferencias al diseñar y realizar intervenciones educativas para lograr una mayor asertividad y efectividad. El presente artículo revisa la evidencia sobre los factores de riesgo cardiovascular en estudiantes universitarios de acuerdo al género, curso y facultad, según el modelo propuesto por Cecchini y cols. y al estudio de Framingham.
Subject(s)
Young Adult , Students , Cardiovascular Diseases , Universities , Feeding Behavior , Diet, Healthy , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Background: University students are especially vulnerable towards substance abuse Aim: To describe and compare drug consumption in students of a Chilean university who attended first and fourth year of studies, according to gender and faculty. Material and Methods: A representative, stratified and proportional sample of305 students was randomly chosen by faculty, career, grade and gender during2009. The consumption of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs was evaluated using an anonymous survey. Results: Students from health care faculties had the lower prevalence of consumption of tobacco, alcohol, tobacco-alcohol and marijuana, during the first and fourth year. Education area and social sciences faculties had the highest prevalence of consumption. Fourth year students had higher rates of consumption than their first year counterparts. Females had significantly lower rates of alcohol and marijuana consumption. Conclusions: Alcohol, tobacco and marijuana consumption was higher among students from education and social sciences faculties and those attending the fourth year of studies.