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Scholars Journal of Applied Medical Sciences | Volume-4 | Issue-03
Body Weight among Medical Students at Benghazi University in Relation to BMI Based Weight Status and Socioeconomic Factors
Ali Ateia Elmabsout, Faiza Gheith Senussinouh, Manal Nasser, Ryma Hussein
Published: March 26, 2016 |
165
128
DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i03.006
Pages: 653-663
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Abstract
There are several methods can be used to assess nutritional status, among these methods is Body Mass Index
(BMI). Therefore this cross-sectional study examined differences in body weight of male and female medical students in
relation of socioeconomic variables. The Participants completed the self-administration Questionnaire. Body weights,
and height were measured for calculating BMI. A total of 579 students in which 95 (16.4%) and 484 (83.6%) male and
female respectively. The mean age of our subject’s ±SD was 21.1 ±1.6 ranged from 21.6 or 20.9 male and female
respectively. About 4% of males and 9% of females were underweight, while the percentage of obesity almost same
among both genders 37.1%, 36.6 respectively. Based on age classification, we found that the majorities of our
participants aged groups 18-24 were obese (64%) whereas those aged group 25 years old and over were normal weight
(93%). Classification of body mass index among our medical faculty branches shown significant increase in obese
students with highly prevalent in dental followed by public health and medical. A number of different variables were
statistically significant associated with body weight; socioeconomic factors, eating habit, physical activities, daily
activities and chronic diseases in which P value p< 0.05. Chronic diseases have positive association with body weight
rather than being negatively, which mean those subjects suffering from chronic diseases had higher body mass index than
those with none. This study highlights the presence of significant different in body weight among four different medical
faculties background. Furthermore, presence of socioeconomic variable showed strong impact on the study samples.
Despite this study need further investigation and larger sample in which to mask bias.