The Prevalence of Obesity and Dietary Habits among Undergraduate Students in Universiti Putra Malaysia

Roselly, Rabi’atul Nabihah (2022) The Prevalence of Obesity and Dietary Habits among Undergraduate Students in Universiti Putra Malaysia. [Project Paper] (Submitted)

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Abstract

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) define overweight is as abnormal or excessive fat buildup with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 25 kg/m2, whereas obesity is defined as a BMI of more than 30 kg/m2 that poses a health concern. Dietary habits greatly affect body weight greatly and are a direct cause of obesity when a person eats to an inappropriate extent with physical activity that results in imbalance energy use. The geographical factor of the university that is convenient and near to restaurants and the influence of fast-food consumption are getting more frequent especially among university students. The combination of prolonged high-calorie dietary intake and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among youths. Not only it can affect the body system but also can affect academically and wellness being as a student. The aim of this study is to determine the dietary habits and prevalence of obesity among undergraduate students in Universiti Putra Malaysia. Objective: To determine the dietary habits and prevalence of obesity among undergraduate students in Universiti Putra Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 99 respondents in Universiti Putra Malaysia. A self-administered online survey was used in this study. The questionnaire comprises two parts which are sociodemographic background and dietary habits. SPSS version 28.0 is used for data entry and analysis. Pearson’s correlation, independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA was used to evaluate resulting data. Result: The mean age for respondents was 22.94±1.21 years old, 80.8% (80) were female, 19.2% (19) were male, 64.6% (64) were from Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, 35.4% (35) were from Faculty of Modern Language and Communication. The majority of the respondents’ 63.6% (63) falls under the category of normal BMI, 16.2% (16) underweight, 16.2% (16) overweight and followed by 4% (4) obese. There was no significant relationship between prevalence of obesity and dietary habits (p>0.05). Conclusion: Obesity does not cause by a single reason. There are other factors that should be taken into view as the cause of obesity. Most of the students in UPM have normal BMI and practice healthy dietary habits. However, few of them are still at risk of being obese. Therefore, to maintain a healthy BMI and healthy diet practice, awareness should still be implemented. Keyword: Prevalence, obesity, dietary habits, body mass index

Item Type:	Project Paper
Faculty:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Science
Depositing User:	Mr Khoirul Asrimi Md Nor
Date Deposited:	16 Aug 2023 01:07
Last Modified:	16 Aug 2023 01:07
URI:	http://psaspb.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/1198

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