Is obesity among medical students a matter of concern? a cross-sectional study in MKCG medical college, Berhampur, Odisha, India

Authors

  • Bimal K. Sahoo Department of Community Medicine, MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, Odisha, India
  • Radha M. Tripathy Dean and Principal, MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, Odisha, India
  • Dhaneswari Jena Department of Community Medicine, MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, Odisha, India
  • Sanjaya K. Sahoo Department of Community Medicine, MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, Odisha, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20185358

Keywords:

Body mass index, NCD, Overweight, Obesity

Abstract

Background: Overweight and obesity are the precursor of most of the non communicable diseases. Body mass index is an important indicator to measure obesity. Though medicos have the requisite knowledge on the morbidities associated with overweight and obesity, they are not in an advantageous position as compared with the common man due their life style.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 372 undergraduate students attending the classes at Department of Community Medicine, MKCG Medical college, Berhampur, Odisha. BMI of the students was measured, and socio-demographic characteristics and other risk factors were assessed during the study with the help of a semi structured, pretested questionnaire.

Results: Out of 372 students, 67.7% were males. Mean BMI of the students was 23.68 ranging from 14.96 to 43.70. The overall prevalence of obesity and overweight was 4.8% and 24.2% respectively. Overweight and obesity were significantly (p<0.05) associated with age, family history of obesity, place of residence, frequent fast food consumption. However other variables like use of electronic gadgets and vehicles, place of food consumption didn’t show any significant association.

Conclusions: Medical students being the future physicians, greater emphasis should be laid among them in terms of prevention of obesity and overweight and on reinforcing all preventive measures like physical activities, correct diet, and maintenance of correct BMI. This will in the long run help in enhancement of control of many non-communicable diseases which are associated with overweight and obesity.

References

Park K. Obesity. In: Park K, eds. Park, Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine. 24th ed. Jabalpur: Banarasidas Bhanit Publishers;2017.

World Health Organization, Fact sheet: Obesity and Overweight Available at: http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight Last Accessed on: 30/08/2018.

National Health and Family Survey, Govt. of India, 2016, Available at: http://rchiips.org/NFHS/factsheet_NFHS-4.shtml Last accessed on: 30/08/2018.

Freedman DS, Khan LK, Serdula MK, Ogden CL, Dietz WH. Racial and ethnic differences in secular trends for childhood BMI, weight, and height. Obesity. 2006 Feb;14(2):301-8.

Yajnik CS, Lubree HG, Rege SS, Naik SS, Deshpande JA, Deshpande SS, et al. Adiposity and hyperinsulinemia in Indians are present at birth. The J Clin Endocrinol Metabol. 2002 Dec 1;87(12):5575-80.

Deotale MK, Ranganathan U, Akarte SV. Prevalence of overweight and obesity among medical students and their knowledge, attitude and practices about obesity. Int J Scientific Reports. 2015 May 2;1(1):74-9.

Fernandez K, Singru SA, Kshirsagar M, Pathan Y. Study regarding overweight/obesity among medical students of a teaching hospital in Pune, India. Medical J Dr. DY Patil University. 2014 May 1;7(3):279-83.

Chhabra P, Grover VL, Aggarwal K, Kanan AT. Nutritional status and blood pressure of medical students in Delhi. Indian J Community Med. 2006 Oct 1;31(4):248-51.

Aggarwal S, Thapliyal R, Saini L, Khrime D, Varma A. Prevalence and pattern of pre obesity and obesity in medical students. Indian J Applied Res. 2018 Apr 9;8(2).

Selvaraj K, Sivaprakasam P. A study on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among medical students of Kanchipuram District. Natl J Res Community Med. 2013 Jul;2:140-4.

Jayaraj NP, Nepolean R, Justin S, Nishanth K, Suresh D. Prevalence of overweight obesity among students of a medical college in south India: A pilot study. Ind J Clin Prac. 2014;25(4):333-7.

Anupama M, Iyengar K, Rajesh SS, Rajanna MS, Venkatesh P, Pillai G. A study on prevalence of obesity and life-style behaviour among medical students. Int J Comm Med Public Health. 2017 Aug 23;4(9):3314-8.

Tiwari R, Jain V, Rajput AS, Bhagwat AK, Goyal M, Tiwari S. A study to assess prevalence of obesity among medical students of GR medical college, Gwalior, MP, India. Int J Res Medical Sci. 2017 Jan 26;2(4):1412-6.

Gupta S, Ray TG, Saha I. Overweight, obesity and influence of stress on body weight among undergraduate medical students. Indian J Comm Med. 2009 Jul;34(3):255-7

Anitha M, Roselin EM, m Monisha D, CKarthik J. Prevalence of obesity and overweight among medicos in both male and female students. Asian J Pharm Clin Res. 2016;26:289-91.

Veena V, Chandra SMR, Shruthi MN, Khan SI. Junk food eating habits and obesity among Medical College students in Bangalore: A Cross-Sectional Study. Natl J Comm Med. 2018;9(2):100-05.

Shah T, Purohit G, Nair SP, Patel B, Rawal Y, Shah RM. Assessment of obesity, overweight and its association with the fast food consumption in medical students. J Clin Diagnostic Res. 2014 May;8(5):CC05.

Boo NY, Chia GJ, Wong LC, Chew RM, Chong W, Loo RC. The prevalence of obesity among clinical students in a Malaysian medical school. Singapore medical journal. 2010 Feb 1;51(2):126-32.

Khan ZS, Assir MZK, Shafiq M, Chaudhary A, Jabeen A. High prevalence of preobesity and obesity among medical students of Lahore and its relation with dietary habits and physical activity. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2016 Mar-Apr;20(2):206-10.

Bakr EM, Ismail NA, Mahaba HM. Impact of life style on the nutritional status of medical students at Ain Shams University. J Egyptian Public Health Assoc. 2002;77(1-2):29-49.

Downloads

Published

2018-12-26

How to Cite

Sahoo, B. K., Tripathy, R. M., Jena, D., & Sahoo, S. K. (2018). Is obesity among medical students a matter of concern? a cross-sectional study in MKCG medical college, Berhampur, Odisha, India. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 7(1), 29–33. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20185358

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles