ABSTRACT
Background: World Health Organization (WHO) defines physical activity as “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Since medical education is considered stressful due to voluminous academics, it leaves little time for the students to relax and recreate. Hence the present study had been undertaken with an aim to study various trends of physical activity, health status and academic performance among medical students and to find out any association between physical activity and health status, academic performance of medical students.Methods: A cross-sectional study had been undertaken among 2nd and 3rd year MBBS students of our medical college. Physical activity was assessed using GPAQ version 2 questionnaire and mental status of students was measured using hospital anxiety and depression scale. Height, weight, and BMI, of each student along with demographic details were collected. The total percentage of any one of the internal marks of each student was taken for assessing the academic performance.Results: Out of total 150 medical students it was found that 44% of medical students were physically inactive and 40.7% of them were highly active. Majority of female students 70.3% were physically inactive and overweight and obesity were higher among them when compared with male students. But anxiety and depressive symptoms were higher among male students. There was statistically significant difference in association between level of physical activity and mental health. The academic performance also increased with increase in physical activity.Conclusions: Physical activity and mental health are related proportionally and it bears a positive influence on the education of the youth. The regular physical activity improves the mental status and academic performance among students.
ABSTRACT
Background: Food allergy is defined as a reproducible adverse immune reaction to food proteins. Food allergies can result in life threatening reactions and diminish quality of life. In the last several decades, prevalence of food allergy has increased in several regions throughout the world.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 321 young adults of the age 17 to 26 years from various colleges in Kerala. The participants were asked to fill out a pretested questionnaire. The data was collected and entered in MS Excel and analyzed.Results: Adverse reactions following food consumption was experienced by 82 respondents (25.5%). Out of these 82 respondents, 38 (46%) had their condition diagnosed by a doctor. 23 respondents had only one episode of such an attack. 41 respondents took medications for the attack. 14 respondents had been hospitalized at least once for such an attack. The most common symptoms following the consumption of food were as follows: vomiting, itching and eczema. The symptoms occur after the consumption of sea food/fish and eggs mostly. 27 respondents had a family history of food allergy.Conclusions: The symptoms of food allergy may vary from minor itching to even anaphylaxis. It is very important to know the causative allergen in the diet to prevent the occurrence of an episode of food allergy.