Physical and nutritional activity as an intervention against obesity

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity and overweight are the most dominant chronic non-communicable pathologies of the century, causing metabolic diseases, such as Diabetes Mellitus and Arterial Hypertension. With WHO data indicating that since 1980 it has more than doubled worldwide, in 2008 1.5 billion adults were overweight, of this number 200 million men were obese and 300 million were obese women. Such is the impact that the WHO declared obesity and overweight as a worldwide epidemic. Objective: To identify the integral health status of university students by means of a clinical history, healthy and unhealthy lifestyles related to nutrition and physical activity. Method: We studied a population of 50 students, 19 males and 31 females, of different degrees of the Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, with overweight and obesity, and interested in improving their eating habits and lifestyles and are attended in the clinics of the disease prevention program (PROSALUD). Results: There was a statistical reduction in the average BMI and abdominal circumference, but no decrease in the percentage of body fat. Conclusions: Constancy in physical activity is a vital constant in weight reduction, along with diet, however described this in the literature that more time is required with this discipline to obtain statistical significance in the reduction of body fat, it is highly recommended the intervention plan used in the PROSALUD program to attend students with overweight and metabolic problems