English

Abstract

BACKGROUND Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) have evolved into a pandemic world-wide including India because of burgeoning population and adoption of unhealthy lifestyles often aping the west. Early identification of increasing trends in the rise of risk factors (RFs) of NCDs in all populations is of utmost importance. The present study aims to track the trends of certain RFs of NCDs in medical students. METHODS All the 141 students who had completed 3 years of medical college were included. 8 of them who were absent during study period were excluded. Base line data concerning the medical students was taken in the month of December 2016. Their anthropometric measurements like height, weight, waist circumference, waist-hipratio, and blood pressure were noted as per standard guidelines. The changes in the trends of hypertension, general obesity, and central obesity were analysed. RESULTS Out of the total 141 study subjects 93 (66 %) were female 48 (34 %) were male medical students. The mean age of students was 20.94 years with SD of 0.80. 64 (45.4 %), 62 (44 %) and 13 (9.2 %) students were aware of positive family history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity respectively. None of them were in the habit of smoking, drinking alcohol or tried narcotics. Undernourished students reduced from 28 (19.9 %) to 16 (11.3 %). Physical exercise among students increased significantly. General obesity (BMI ≥ 25 Kg / mt2 ), central / abdominal obesity represented by waist circumstance and blood pressure were observed to have increased significantly. The combined obesity in the present study was 15.6 %. CONCLUSIONS Tracking of weight gain, blood pressure, physical activity in medical students was done after three years from the base line data collected in 2016. It was observed that certain risk factors of NCDs like obesity, hypertension, waist circumference, showed significant upward trends. Medical students should undergo periodic health check–ups (screening) to identify the emergence of RFs of NCDs in their nascent stage and transform themselves as role models in the community by maintaining and advocating healthy lifestyles. KEYWORDS Tracking, Risk Factors, NCDs, Medical Students