IJCM_132A: The impact of eating habits on BMI: a cross-sectional study among college students in Kerala

Abstract

Background: Major nutritional issues in today’s world are overweight and underweight which is greatly influenced by lifestyle choices and eating habits. Healthy eating and lifestyle habits are shaped during the adolescent period and become permanent, so adolescence is a crucial period for establishing long-term habits. This study aims to explore the correlation between college students’ eating habits and their Body Mass Index (BMI). Objectives: 1. To evaluate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among college students in Kerala. 2. To determine the association between the effects of eating habits and lifestyle factors on BMI. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among college students belonging to different professional colleges in Kerala from February 2023 to August 2023. A random sampling technique was used to select colleges in Kerala. A total of 502 students participated in the study. Study variables included sociodemographic data, BMI and eating habits assessed through a structured questionnaire. Participants who didn’t give consent were excluded from the study. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS v22. Results: The total number of students who participated in the study was 502 including 157 males and 345 females. Most of the students were belonging to the age group of 20-23 years. Female students formed the majority of study subjects (68.72%). According to the Asia Pacific BMI classification, 20.3 were found to be obese. Among the students, obesity was found more commonly among male students (30.6%) compared to female students (15.7%). Obese students were found to eat more under stress (51%) compared to students with normal BMI (30.3%) and it was found to be statistically significant (p Conclusion: The study showed that changing lifestyle patterns such as eating fatty foods and fried foods and eating under stress were found to have a direct impact on BMI.