Subramaniam, Barathi S (2011) Influence of Gender, Ethnicity, Eating Habits and Exercise on Body Mass Index Among Students of an Indian Medical School. WebmedCentral OBESITY, 2 (11). pp. 1-12. ISSN 2046-1690

PDF Article_WMC002485.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (75kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Introduction: The relative associations of eating patterns and BMI, particularly at different life stages in various ethnic group are poorly understood Aims and Objectives: -To assess the influence of eating habits and physical activity on BMI, among medical students -To find the association of variables such as age, gender, race, and other lifestyles on BMI among these students. Methodology: Medical Students of both genders, aged 18 to 24 years ( 124 males and 198 females), from 3 main races- Malays (52.2%),Chinese(24.8%),Indians (20.4%) and others (2.6%) of 3 consecutive batches (N= 324) of Melaka-Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus) were included in the study. A survey questionnaire covering the areas related to demographic details, eating habits, types of food, exercise and lifestyle was used.The BMI was calculated from the weight (kg) & square of the height (m). Statistical Analysis: Descriptive Chi-squared analyses were used to examine group differences in prevalence of overweight and obesity between various subgroups of students. Results: Though the mean BMI was within the normal range, significant gender variation was observed. Those who consumed dairy products, meat, egg and aerated drinks more than 5 times per day showed significant difference in BMI .When compared with age, the higher age group shows a tendency to be overweight and obese compared to the lower age group. Conclusion: The Chinese were more underweight and the Indians were more towards overweight and obese when compared with Malays who in general had normal BMI.

Actions (login required)

View Item