Prevalence of overweight obesity among M.B.B.S. students

ABSTRACT

Background: Prevalence of overweight-obesity is rising in India. Medical Professionals are vulnerable to overweight-obesity because of the sedentary lifestyle which is frequently adopted due to massive work burden. Aim & Objective: To assess prevalence of overweight-obesity and associated factors among MBBS students in a medical institute in north-Indian state of Uttarakhand. Settings and Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study Methods and Material: This study was conducted among 310 M.B.B.S. students at Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Uttarakhand, between March and May 2019. Socio-demographic details were recorded using a structured pro forma. A pre-validated IPAQ questionnaire was used for assessment of physical activity. Anthropometric and clinical parameters were measured using standard techniques. Statistical analysis used Independent student’s t test and Chi square test were used to compare the quantitative variables and categorical variables, respectively. Pearson’s correlation test was used to study the correlation of BMI with clinical parameters. Results: Among 310 study subjects, 164 (52.9%) were overweight-obese. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was 30.3 percent. Subjects with overweight-obesity, in comparison to normal BMI group, had higher frequency of smoking, higher systolic blood pressure, higher mean arterial pressure, higher pulse pressure and engaged more in high (category 3) physical activity. Conclusions: There was 52.9% prevalence of overweight-obesity in study cohort. Overweight-obese subjects had higher blood pressure and frequency of smoking, both traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Interestingly, more overweight-obese subjects engaged in high physical activity.