“PREVALENCE OF OBESITY AND RELATED FACTORS AMONG THE UNDER GRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS OF PESHAWAR DISTRICT

illion adult die each
year due to obesity and overweight problem. Obesity
usually reduces life expectancy by six to seven years2.
Obesity among young adults who are experiencing
transition into university life is mainly due to adoption
of sedentary life style and making their own food
choices, often leading to poor eating habits3,4. Stress
of university life, also negatively affect dietary habits5.
In Pakistan childhood obesity, especially in urban
areas, is mainly due to availability of processed foods,
snacks, high intake of large quantity of meat by children
and sedentary life style6,7. In Pakistan the overall prevalence
of obesity and overweight was around 25% of
general population8. A study showed that around 44%
male and 61% of female medical students of a private
medical dental college in Karachi were above normal
weight9. Another study showed that 41.7% of the students
of the Baqai Medical University of Karachi were
overweight or obese10.
Focus on healthy eating habits, physical active
Department of Community Medicine, Khyber Girls
Medical College, Peshawar.
.........................................................................................
Address for correspondence:
Dr. Shakila Asif
Department of Community Medicine, Khyber Girls
Medical College, Peshawar
Ph: 03339402659
Email. ashakila264@gmail.com
“PREVALENCE OF OBESITY AND RELATED FACTORS AMONG
THE UNDER GRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS OF PESHAWAR
DISTRICT”
Shakila Asif, Adil Khan, Tauseef Aman, Nida Asif, Sabina Aziz, Alia Manzoor
ABSTRACT
Objective: To estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity and to determine eating habits and level of physical
activities and its association with obesity of under graduate medical students of Peshawar district.
Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students of all medical
colleges of public and private sector of Peshawar District in 2014. A sample size of 384 was selected by simple
random sampling technique. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to assess eating practices, levels of physical activity
and sedentary lifestyle of the participants. Height and weight were measured and BMI was calculated. Chi-square test
was used to observe association between eating habits, physical activity and sedentary behavior of students and BMI
weight categories.
Results: According to WHO Asia-pacific population cut off criteria for BMI, prevalence of overweight and obesity
among medical students were 18.6% and 15.7% respectively. Majority of the students have healthy eating habits i.e.
45% participants of the study consumed the recommended serving of bread, 78% ate the recommended serving of
fruit a day, 87% students consumed at least 1-2 or more serving of vegetables daily, more than 70 % undergraduate
medical students were taking the recommended serving of meat, poultry, fish, nuts and legumes and 70% students
consumed the recommended serving of milk and dairy products. Only 40% respondent consumed junk food at least
3 or more times per week, 35.7% consumed fruit juices at least 3 times or more per week and approximately 32.3%
students had energy drinks ≥ 3 times a week. 48 % participants undertook moderate exercise and 17% were doing
strenuous exercise i.e. 65% were doing some exercises weekly. However out of 65% only 30% respondents were
performing the WHO recommended ≥ 600 Met min/wk. Mean sedentary time spent was 10 ±3.2 hours per day. There
was no significant association between BMI weight categories and eating habits and physical activity of students, yet
significant association was found between sedentary behavior of students and obesity.
Conclusion: The study indicated that overweight and obesity among the undergraduate medical students was mainly
due to their sedentary life style. Consequently health programs are needed to promote healthy lifestyle among medical
students.
Key words: Overweight, obesity, physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, body Mass Index (BMI).