Title
Prevalence of overweight and obesity among health sciences students in the amazonia region of Peru
Date Issued
01 December 2020
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Rabanales-Sotos J.
Jacinto-Magallanes-castilla J.
López-González Á.
López-Torres-hidalgo J.
Publisher(s)
MDPI AG
Abstract
A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate 199 health sciences students in the city of Iquitos. Their socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle, level of physical activity, type of food, substance abuse, and prevalence of overweight and obesity were ascertained using purpose-validated questionnaires, i.e., the Systematic Alcohol Consumption Interview (Interrogatorio Sistematizado de Consumos Alcohólicos/ISCA), a questionnaire on the frequency of dietary intake (CFCA), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and anthropometric measurements. The prevalence of overweight (body mass index (BMI) of 25.0–29.9 kg/m2) was 26.5% (95% CI = 19.9–33.0%) and that of obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) was 7.9% (95% CI = 3.8–12.1%). A total of 34.4% of students (95% CI = 27.4–41.4%) presented with a BMI > 25 kg/m2. The frequency of overweight was significantly higher in persons aged over 20 years (OR = 2.5) and smokers (OR = 3.2), and the frequency of obesity was significantly higher in older students (OR = 4.1) and males (OR = 5.5). In conclusion, a considerable proportion of health sciences students in the Amazonia region presented with a high BMI. The proportion of students with overweight was higher among students aged over 20 years and smokers, while that of obesity was also higher among males. In the university setting, the development of more overweight-and obesity-preventive activities and educational interventions would therefore be desirable.
Volume
8
Issue
4
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Educación general (incluye capacitación, pedadogía)
Nutrición, Dietética
Endocrinología, Metabolismo (incluyendo diabetes, hormonas)
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85104395320
Source
Healthcare (Switzerland)
ISSN of the container
22279032
Sponsor(s)
Funding: This research was funded by a grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) (DOCM 19/02/20)).
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus