Overweight and Obesity, Body Fat, Waist Circumference, and Anemia in Peruvian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Ruth B Quiliche Castañeda; Josué Turpo-Chaparro; Jesús Hanco Torres; Jacksaint Saintila; Percy G Ruiz Mamani

doi:10.1155/2021/5049037

Overweight and Obesity, Body Fat, Waist Circumference, and Anemia in Peruvian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

J Nutr Metab. 2021 Dec 8:2021:5049037. doi: 10.1155/2021/5049037. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Ruth B Quiliche Castañeda¹, Josué Turpo-Chaparro², Jesús Hanco Torres², Jacksaint Saintila^{2

3}, Percy G Ruiz Mamani⁴

Affiliations

¹ Oficina de Nutrición, Vicerrectorado de Bienestar Universitario, Universidad Peruana Unión, Lima, Peru.
² Escuela de Posgrado, Universidad Peruana Unión, Lima, Peru.
³ Escuela de Nutrición Humana, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Peruana Unión, Lima, Peru.
⁴ Escuela Profesional de Enfermería, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Privada San Juan Bautista, Chorrillos, Peru.

Abstract

The university represents a critical space for students in terms of prevalence of malnutrition. The objective of this study was to determine the body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (% BF), waist circumference (WC), and anemia in university students. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2,285 university students from Lima, Peru. The sample was selected by nonprobability convenience sampling. Anthropometric data and hemoglobin levels were measured. The Chi-square test was used. The analysis of the associated factors was done using binary logistic regression. A significance level of 5% was considered. There were no significant differences between men and women in BMI (p > 0.05). The men presented significantly high and very high levels of % BF (p < 0.001). The proportion of women who presented anemia and high and very high WC was significantly higher compared to men (p < 0.001). Being older than 27 years (OR_B = 2.07; 95% CI = 1.19-3.6), being male (OR_B = 2.68; 95% CI = 2.02-3.55), studying at the engineering faculty (OR_B = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.09-1.79), having excess body fat (OR_B = 8.17; 95% CI = 6.13-10.87), and having an elevated WC (OR_B = 35.51; 95% CI = 25.06-50.33) significantly predicted overweight/obesity. The findings of this study suggest that college students, especially males and those who are not enrolled in health sciences colleges, should be a priority in healthy lifestyle interventions, particularly nutritional education programs, to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity.