| Abstrakt: |
Background: Obesity is a growing public health problem globally, affecting people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. Overweight and obesity is not just an underlying factor for major chronic diseases, it is also a serious debilitating condition on its own. Aim: This study aims to investigate the prevalence and determinants of overweight and obesity among undergraduate students in a tertiary institution in Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used among 420 respondents. A well-structured questionnaire, weighing scale and calibrated meter rule was used as instrument for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and hypothesis tested using multiple logistic regression at 0.05 level of significant. Result: The result showed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 19.37% and only 30.0% of the respondent demonstrated a "High" level of knowledge of overweight and obesity and its associated factors. Factors associated with overweight and obesity include lack of time for physical exercise (3.15±0.13), Ignorance (2.56±0.86), Medications (such as antidepressant, antipsychotics, corticosteroids, contraceptives (2.65±0.42), Physical enhancement (butt enlargement, breast enlargement, muscle growth, weight gain), (3.00±0.15). Multivariate logistic regression showed the odds of being overweight/obese is higher for females than male (OR = 2.14 p 0.004 CI 1.32-3.46), Individuals aged 21-25 have than those aged 15-20 (OR = 0.52, p0.010 CI 0.33-0.81), Married individuals compared to single individuals (OR; 2.94; p0.039 CI: 0.78-11.78. Conclusion: This study found a relatively high prevalence of overweight and obesity among undergraduate students in tertiary institution with few students demonstrating a strong understanding of weight management and related health issues. These findings suggest a need for targeted interventions to promote healthy weight management behaviors among undergraduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
