Weight awareness among medical students

Authors

  • Dushyant M. Nijhawan Department of Anaesthesiology, KDMC Hospital and Research Centre, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
  • Aditi J. Upadhye Department of Pathology, PDMMC, Amravati, Maharashtra, India
  • Jayshree J. Upadhye Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Rajshree Medical College, Bareily, Uttar Pradesh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20180602

Keywords:

Body mass index, Normal weight, Obese, Overweight, Under weight

Abstract

Background: Overweight and obesity is a global issue. It needs to be tackled at adolescent and young age. Aim of our study was to evaluate weight awareness, prevalence of overweight and obesity in medical students.

Methods: 200 medical students of 18-20 years were included in this cross-sectional study.

Results: Out of 100 girls, 51 (51%) girls had normal BMI, 19 (19%) were overweight, 17 (17%) girls were obese while 13 (13%) girls were underweight. Out of 100 boys, 66 (66%) boys were having normal weight, 16 (16%) boys were underweight, 14 (14%) boys were overweight and 4 (4%) boys were obese. Sixty-one (61%) girls were doing exercise >3 times in a week while 39 (39%) girls were doing exercise <3 times in a week. Out of 100 boys, 44 (44%) boys were doing exercise <3 times in a week while 56 (56%) boys were doing exercise >3 times in a week.

Conclusions: Issue of overweight and obesity needs to be focused more.

References

Priya D, Prasanna KS, Sucharitha S, Vaz NC. Body image perception and attempts to change weight among female medical students at Mangalore. Ind J community medicine: official publication of Indian Association of Preventive Social Medicine. 2010;35(2):316.

World Health Organisation. Obesity and overweight. Available at http://www.who.int/ mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index.html. Accessed on April 12, 2012.

Brug J, Wammes B, Kremers S, Giskes K, Oenema A: Underestimation and overestimation of personal weight status: associations with socio-demographic characteristics and weight maintenance intentions. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2006;19(4):253-62.

Mandic S, Wilson H, Clark-Grill M, O’Neill D. Medical students’ awareness of the links between physical activity and health. Montenegrin J Sports Sci Med. 2017;6(2):5-12.

Lakshmi Y, Devi BV. A Study of Body Mass Index Among Medical Students in a Tertiary Care Hospital. J Dental Med Sci. 2015;14(3):14-7.

World Health Organization. BMI Classification". Global Database on Body Mass Index, 2006. Available at http://apps.who.int/bmi/index.jsp?intro Page=intro_3.html. Accessed on July 27, 2012.

National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, Kidney Diseases (US). Clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: the evidence report. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; 1998.

Bhaskaran K, Douglas I, Forbes H, dos-Santos-Silva I, Leon DA, Smeeth L. Body-mass index and risk of 22 specific cancers: a population-based cohort study of 5· 24 million UK adults. Lancet. 2014;384(9945):755-65.

Majeed F. Association of BMI with diet and physical activity of female medical students at the University of Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. J Taibah University Med Sci. 2015;10(2):188-96.

Schoettler CL, Lee JN, Ireland KA, Lenders CM. A Novel Method of Increasing Medical Student Nutrition Awareness and Education. J Biomed Edu. 2015;2015.

Miller Jr DP, Spangler JG, Vitolins MZ, Davis MS, Ip EH, Marion GS, et al. Are medical students aware of their anti-obesity bias?. Academic medicine: J Association Ame Med Coll. 2013;88(7):978.

Wattanapisit A, Fungthongcharoen K, Saengow U, Vijitpongjinda S. Physical activity among medical students in Southern Thailand: a mixed methods study. BMJ open. 2016;6(9):e013479.)

Pantenburg B, Sikorski C, Luppa M, Schomerus G, König HH, Werner P, et al. Medical students’ attitudes towards overweight and obesity. PloS one. 2012;7(11):e48113.

Downloads

Published

2018-02-22

How to Cite

Nijhawan, D. M., Upadhye, A. J., & Upadhye, J. J. (2018). Weight awareness among medical students. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 6(3), 848–852. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20180602

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles