Amin, M., Elkalioby, M., Elotla, S., Ibrahim, O., Ali, N., El-Sherif, I. (2022). Screening of Abdominal Obesity and its Risk Factors among Egyptian University Students. Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 25(2), 59-67. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.250981
Mona K. Amin; Mohamed I. Elkalioby; Sally Elotla; Omneya Ibrahim; Nahed M. Ali; Iman R. El-Sherif. "Screening of Abdominal Obesity and its Risk Factors among Egyptian University Students". Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 25, 2, 2022, 59-67. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.250981
Amin, M., Elkalioby, M., Elotla, S., Ibrahim, O., Ali, N., El-Sherif, I. (2022). 'Screening of Abdominal Obesity and its Risk Factors among Egyptian University Students', Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 25(2), pp. 59-67. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.250981
Amin, M., Elkalioby, M., Elotla, S., Ibrahim, O., Ali, N., El-Sherif, I. Screening of Abdominal Obesity and its Risk Factors among Egyptian University Students. Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 2022; 25(2): 59-67. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.250981
Screening of Abdominal Obesity and its Risk Factors among Egyptian University Students
1Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt.
2Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt.
3Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt.
4Forensic and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt.
5Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt.
Abstract
Background: Obesity is a global and growing health problem. Few data were found to describe the Egyptian prevalence of obesity among adolescents and young adults. Aim: To estimate the prevalence of abdominal obesity and its related risk factors among university students in Egypt. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study at Suez Canal University, including 1204 university students from all over Egypt. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed. Anthropometric measurements were taken, and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated to assess body status and detect abdominal obesity. Results: The surveyed participants included 607 males (50.4%) and 597 females (49.6%). The age in the entire sample ranged from 18–25 years. The overall obesity was 8.17% with a confidence interval (6.61% - 9.72%) while abdominal obesity was 6.11% with a confidence interval (4.75%-7.47%) which was higher in females than in males (6.6% and 5.63% respectively). Screen time mean was 4.3±3.7 hours per day among participants, whereas 96.6% use social media about 7.13±5.72 hours per day. 78.8% of the students reported at least once weekly fast-food consumption. Abdominal obesity was 31.5% among the over-weights and 68.5% among obese surveyed participants. Positive family history of obesity was the most significant risk factor associated with abdominal obesity (odds ratio 2.835 with CI (1.244-6.462) and p < /em>=0.013) among the studied group. Conclusion: Obesity and its related factors are highly prevalent among Egyptian university students. Parental obesity is the most significant risk factor for abdominal obesity.