Background/Purpose: The Guam Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Consortium developed action teams as part of their strategic plan to reduce the risk of NCDs. Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol, Physical Activity, and Obesity (SNAPO) health indicators were targeted. The primary objective of this study was to describe SNAPO among students at the University of Guam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to December 2015 on a non-random sample of students (n=378; 185 males, 193 females) ≥18 years old attending the University of Guam. Information on SNAPO indicators (smoking/tobacco-related uses, poor nutritional behaviors, alcohol use, physical inactivity, and obesity) were collected using questions from the Guam Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and other local studies. Statistical tests were used to determine sex-specific differences. Results: The overall prevalence of SNAPO health indicators included cigarette smoking (9.1%), smokeless tobacco use (6.7%), areca nut chewing (7.5%), alcohol consumption (44.3%) and binge drinking (24.6%), physical inactivity (54.5%), infrequent fruit (77.5%) and vegetable (68.0%) consumption, frequent fast food consumption (31.5%), inadequate water intake (89.1%) and obesity (22.6%). Sex-specific statistical differences were marginal for cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use and significant for physical inactivity and obesity. Conclusion: The SNAPO health indicators provide an updated status of substance use and obesity-related risk factors of college students in Guam. Continued collection of the data is encouraged to inform campus-wide policies or programs that promote student health, monitor student health trends, and evaluate the Guam NCD Strategic Plan over time.
Keywords: Alcohol; Areca (Betel) nut; College students; Health indicators; Non-communicable disease; Nutrition; Obesity; Physical Activity; SNAPO; Smoking; Tobacco.
©Copyright 2020 by University Health Partners of Hawai‘i (UHP Hawai‘i).