PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY AMONG NURSING STUDENTS IN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Background: Obesity and overweight are increasingly recognized global public health challenges. According to the World Health Organization, in 2022 approximately 2.5 billion adults aged 18 years and older were overweight, including 890 million (16%) living with obesity—figures that have more than doubled since 1990.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive quantitative study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of overweight and obesity among nursing students at Saida Waheed FMH College of Nursing (SWCON), Lahore. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire (via Google Forms) with closed-ended items was distributed to a purposive sample of 260 registered second- and third-year nursing students of BS. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated to classify overweight (BMI 25–29.9) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30). Data analysis included frequency counts and chi-square tests to examine associations between BMI categories and factors such as family history, physical activity, and dietary habits.

Results: The study found that among 160 nursing students, 48.8% had a normal BMI, 25% were overweight, 13.7% obese, and 12.5% underweight, with low (43.8%) and moderate (40.6%) physical activity levels being most common. A significant association was observed between family history of obesity and BMI (p = 0.041), while income, year of study, and physical activity were not significant predictors; eating behaviors such as cognitive restraint (38.8%) and emotional eating (33.1%) showed notable influence on BMI distribution.

Conclusion: These findings underscore the substantial burden of overweight and obesity among nursing students, and the significant influence of family history on BMI status. Routine BMI monitoring and targeted health education programs emphasizing healthy lifestyle behaviors—including diet awareness and physical activity—are recommended to prevent further escalation and to support future healthcare providers in modeling healthy behaviors.