TY - JOUR
T1 - Trends of obesity and overweight among college students in oman a cross sectional study
AU - Al-Kilani, Hashim
AU - Waly, Mostafa
AU - Yousef, Randa
PY - 2012/2
Y1 - 2012/2
N2 - Objectives: Body mass index (BMI), total body fat (TBF), and physical activity in relation to obesity and overweight prevalence among Omani students were studied. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 202 Omani students (101 males and 101 females) from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) was carried out. Data were collected by interview using a structured questionnaire. Weight, TBF and physical activity score (PAS) were measured using TANITA scales, and height measured using a standardised measuring tape. Results: Subjects were classified based on BMI as: underweight (2.48%), normal weight (69.31%), overweight (26.73%) and obese (1.49%). According to TBF, 32.67% of students had low body fat scores (BFS), 26.73% high BFS and 22.28% very high BFS. Low BFS was insignificantly less likely with the increase in the mean hours of weekly exercising, (odds ratio [OR] = 0.708; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.448, 1.119) and the PAS (OR = 0.728; 95% CI= 0.562, 0.944). Among high and very high BFS students, the mean hours of weekly exercising (6.73±1.20) and physical activity scores (7.51±1.67) were higher than those of healthy students. Nutrition knowledge was higher among healthy students compared to low BFS, and high and very high BFS subjects. Higher nutrition knowledge was associated with a non-significant lower risk of low BFS (OR = 0.986; 95% CI = 0.958, 1.015), high and very high BFS (OR = 0.984; 95% CI = 0.961, 1.008). Conclusion: High and very high BFS were prevalent among subjects with sedentary lifestyles. Nutritional and physical activity interventions should be introduced to combat the problem of overweight students.
AB - Objectives: Body mass index (BMI), total body fat (TBF), and physical activity in relation to obesity and overweight prevalence among Omani students were studied. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 202 Omani students (101 males and 101 females) from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) was carried out. Data were collected by interview using a structured questionnaire. Weight, TBF and physical activity score (PAS) were measured using TANITA scales, and height measured using a standardised measuring tape. Results: Subjects were classified based on BMI as: underweight (2.48%), normal weight (69.31%), overweight (26.73%) and obese (1.49%). According to TBF, 32.67% of students had low body fat scores (BFS), 26.73% high BFS and 22.28% very high BFS. Low BFS was insignificantly less likely with the increase in the mean hours of weekly exercising, (odds ratio [OR] = 0.708; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.448, 1.119) and the PAS (OR = 0.728; 95% CI= 0.562, 0.944). Among high and very high BFS students, the mean hours of weekly exercising (6.73±1.20) and physical activity scores (7.51±1.67) were higher than those of healthy students. Nutrition knowledge was higher among healthy students compared to low BFS, and high and very high BFS subjects. Higher nutrition knowledge was associated with a non-significant lower risk of low BFS (OR = 0.986; 95% CI = 0.958, 1.015), high and very high BFS (OR = 0.984; 95% CI = 0.961, 1.008). Conclusion: High and very high BFS were prevalent among subjects with sedentary lifestyles. Nutritional and physical activity interventions should be introduced to combat the problem of overweight students.
KW - Lifestyle
KW - Obesity
KW - Oman
KW - Physical activity
KW - Students
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U2 - 10.12816/0003090
DO - 10.12816/0003090
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84857082405
SN - 2075-051X
VL - 12
SP - 620
EP - 627
JO - Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal
JF - Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal
IS - 1
ER -