Lifestyles and their relationship with Body Mass Index in university students from the highlands of Peru

Apaza-Ahumada M.G.; Valdivia-Barra T.P.; Huillca-Maldonado H.R.; Ticona-Arapa H.C.; Chambi-Condori N.; Zela Payi N.O. · Nutricion Clinica y Dietetica Hospitalaria (2023) · DOI: 10.12873/434ticona

Resumen

Introduction: University students, due to time constraints and overloaded academic tasks, have unhealthy Lifestyles (LE). It is necessary to know the characteristics of this problem to identify educational intervention strategies and more effective practices that improve the diet and nutrition of university students. Objective: The objective of the study is to determine the relationship between lifestyles and body mass index in university students from the altiplanic zone (3812 masl) in Peru. Material and methods: Study with a quantitative approach, descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional. The population was constituted by the students of the National University of the Altiplano, a sample of 194 students was considered. A survey was applied using a self-administered questionnaire as an instrument to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics and EV. To assess the nutritional status, weight and height were taken with which the Body Mass Index (BMI) was estimated. The data analysis was carried out using the SPSS version 22 program, applying the estimation of descriptive statistics, t student, ANOVA and the Chi-square test. Results: The average BMI of university students indicates that their nutritional status is in the normal range, with 22.57 and 23.32 Kg/m2 for men and women respectively, with no statistical difference. According to the BMI, 3.1% have a nutritional deficit, 76.3% have a normal nutritional status, and 20.6% are overweight and obese. The average of: weight is 64.06 Kg in men and 55.59 Kg in women and height is 1.68 m in men and 1.54 m in women. The average weight and height according to sex is statistically different. Conclusions: One in five students is overweight and obese. The EV indicators that are related to BMI are: Body perception (p=0.003), alcohol consumption (p=0.011), and quality sleep (p=0.027). The other EV indicators do not have a significant relationship with the BMI.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; Universidad Nacional del Altiplano