Understanding the obesity epidemic among north Indian medical students: Prevalence, risk factors, and health implications

Background: Obesity among medical students is a significant public health issue with various contributing factors, including dietary habits, physical activity, and genetic predisposition. This study aims to assess obesity prevalence and its associated factors among North Indian medical undergraduate...

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Main Authors: Aman Dev Singh, Harseerat Grewal, Simmi Oberoi, Aafia Sachdeva, Rohit Batish
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1813_24
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author Aman Dev Singh
Harseerat Grewal
Simmi Oberoi
Aafia Sachdeva
Rohit Batish
author_facet Aman Dev Singh
Harseerat Grewal
Simmi Oberoi
Aafia Sachdeva
Rohit Batish
author_sort Aman Dev Singh
collection DOAJ
description Background: Obesity among medical students is a significant public health issue with various contributing factors, including dietary habits, physical activity, and genetic predisposition. This study aims to assess obesity prevalence and its associated factors among North Indian medical undergraduates. Aim: To assess the prevalence of obesity and its relationship with various factors among medical undergraduates in North India. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 15, 2024, to October 15, 2024, at a tertiary care institute. All students from the MBBS Batch 2023 participated via convenient sampling. Data were collected through a Google form covering sociodemographic, dietary and physical habits, and mental health. Analysis was performed using SPSS Trial version 26. Results: Out of 208 students, 6% were underweight, 66.8% were normal weight, 17.8% were overweight, and 5.8% were obese. Significant associations were found between BMI and gender (P = .003), breakfast eating (P = .012), and family history of obesity (P = .006). Conclusion: Obesity prevalence among medical students in North India is influenced by a complex interplay of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and genetic factors. Targeted programs are needed to address these specific predictors and support health management in medical students.
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spelling doaj-art-e97e563187a84beaa9457aa43015cd1b2025-08-20T02:42:25ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family Medicine and Primary Care2249-48632278-71352025-06-011462258226510.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1813_24Understanding the obesity epidemic among north Indian medical students: Prevalence, risk factors, and health implicationsAman Dev SinghHarseerat GrewalSimmi OberoiAafia SachdevaRohit BatishBackground: Obesity among medical students is a significant public health issue with various contributing factors, including dietary habits, physical activity, and genetic predisposition. This study aims to assess obesity prevalence and its associated factors among North Indian medical undergraduates. Aim: To assess the prevalence of obesity and its relationship with various factors among medical undergraduates in North India. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 15, 2024, to October 15, 2024, at a tertiary care institute. All students from the MBBS Batch 2023 participated via convenient sampling. Data were collected through a Google form covering sociodemographic, dietary and physical habits, and mental health. Analysis was performed using SPSS Trial version 26. Results: Out of 208 students, 6% were underweight, 66.8% were normal weight, 17.8% were overweight, and 5.8% were obese. Significant associations were found between BMI and gender (P = .003), breakfast eating (P = .012), and family history of obesity (P = .006). Conclusion: Obesity prevalence among medical students in North India is influenced by a complex interplay of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and genetic factors. Targeted programs are needed to address these specific predictors and support health management in medical students.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1813_24body mass indexlifestylemedical studentsnorth indiaobesityrisk factors
spellingShingle Aman Dev Singh
Harseerat Grewal
Simmi Oberoi
Aafia Sachdeva
Rohit Batish
Understanding the obesity epidemic among north Indian medical students: Prevalence, risk factors, and health implications
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
body mass index
lifestyle
medical students
north india
obesity
risk factors
title Understanding the obesity epidemic among north Indian medical students: Prevalence, risk factors, and health implications
title_full Understanding the obesity epidemic among north Indian medical students: Prevalence, risk factors, and health implications
title_fullStr Understanding the obesity epidemic among north Indian medical students: Prevalence, risk factors, and health implications
title_full_unstemmed Understanding the obesity epidemic among north Indian medical students: Prevalence, risk factors, and health implications
title_short Understanding the obesity epidemic among north Indian medical students: Prevalence, risk factors, and health implications
title_sort understanding the obesity epidemic among north indian medical students prevalence risk factors and health implications
topic body mass index
lifestyle
medical students
north india
obesity
risk factors
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1813_24
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