Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity and its relation to Diet and Physical Activity among Medical Students in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a rising problem in developing countries including Ghana. Adolescents and young adults are increasingly being affected which is driven mainly by sedentary lifestyle and excess calorie intake. We sought to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among final year medical students of the University of Ghana and its relationship with dietary habits and physical activity

Materials And Methods: We assessed body mass index (BMI) and its association with dietary habits and physical activity among 129 final year students of the University of Ghana Medical School.

Results : Twenty-nine students (22.5%) were overweight whilst 10 (7.8%) were obese giving a combined prevalence of overweight and obesity as 30.3% (n=39). Prevalence of overweight or obesity was 47.6%, 25.0% and 32.7% among those involved in the low, moderate and high levels of physical activities respectively. Ready to eat meals (χ2=7.86, p=0.020) and sugar (χ2=8.46, p=0.015) were the only food items significantly associated with overweight/obesity. The odds of overweight or obesity were 72% significantly lower for those with moderate physical activity levels compared to those with low physical activities (AOR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.09-0.93, p=0.037). Relative to those who consume ready to eat meals on the daily basis, the adjusted odds of overweight or obesity were 2-folds higher among those who consume ready to eat meals on the monthly basis (AOR: 2.80, 95% CI: 1.09-7.18, p=0.033).

Conclusion: Vigorous awareness creation of the need for healthy dietary choices and increased physical activity among medical students is urgently needed.