Blood Pressure and anthropometry obesity indices in first professional medical students at a private medical college of Pakistan-a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Obesity, a significant public health issue, requires immediate attention to prevent obesity-mediated health concerns such as hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and adverse coronary and circulatory events. The present study aimed to determine blood pressure (BP) and anthropometric obesity indices (including BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and mid-upper arm circumference) of 1st Professional MBBS students in a private medical college in Pakistan, and also to find the association of BP with anthropometric indices. It was a cross-sectional survey conducted at Lahore Medical and Dental College. Institutional Review Board approval was acquired before the study commencement. The duration of the study was from May to August 2022. The study population included all students registered in first-year MBBS who agreed to participate in the study. The present study included 120 participants. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age of participants was 19.05±0.82 years. Mean systolic and diastolic BP was 116.05±13.21 and 74.85±9.81 respectively. Sixty-seven (56%) participants were having their BP ≥ 120/80 and were identified as pre-hypertensive or hypertensive respectively. Mean ± SD BMI was 22.18±4.31 kg/m2; 67 (55.8%) were having normal BMI, 20(16.7%) were overweight and 33 (27.5%) obese. On the basis of waist circumference; 39 (70.9%) male subjects were normal and 16 (29.1%) centrally obese, whereas 47 (72.3%) females were normal and 18 (23.7%) obese. Overall central obese subjects were 35 (29%). Logistic regression analysis was applied; hypertension was taken as a dependent variable and all-other independent covariates such as anthropometry indices (BMI, waist circumference), gender, age, and residential status were controlled; association of hypertension was significant with gender (p=0.001) and waist circumference (p=0.000). Students need to modify lifestyle strategies for preventing obesity and hypertension.