| Popis: |
University students are more disposed to becoming obese. Although it is said that there is a higher incidence of obesity in students living in Okinawa compared to those in other prefectures, there are no scientific data to prove it. Moreover, the prevalence and the conceptions about obesity are not yet clear among the students living in Okinawa. Therefore, the present survey was designed to investigate them. The subjects were selected from the students of the university of the Ryukyus, who attended the periodical medical checkup held in May, 1994. The number of subjects were 5,426(3,412 male and 2,014 female). Their anthropoemtric indices such as height, weight, and waist and hip circumference were measured to obtain body mass index (BMI) , the Broca-Katura index, and waist-hip ratio (WHR) as indices of degree of obesity. Percent body fat was also measured by a bioelectrical impedance method. The percent body fat was $18.8 \pm 5.4$ and $23.4 \pm 5.3$, BMI was $22.3 \pm 3.0$ and $21.1 \pm 2.7$, and WHR was $O.77 \pm 0.05$ and $O.70 \pm 0.04$ in male and female students, respectively. BMI of the university students in Japan is $21.8 \pm 2.7$ and $20.6 \pm 2.2$ for males and females, respectively. Comparing the values of BMI, the students of university of the Ryukyus had a higher incidence of obesity than the nation at average in both male and female. Percent body fat was not compared between the students of university of the Ryukyus and that of all Japan because data is not available for the latter students. Percent body fat was higher in female, and BMI was higher in males, therefore females generally have a higher body fat. This fact shows that percent body fat prevails over BMI as the index for measuring degree of obesity. When estimated by percent body fat, a high incidence of obesity was observed. Out of the total subjects, 1,090 students were selected and questionnaire administered on their conception of obesity and history of familial obesity. Many students were estimated to be more obese than they really were, indicating that they did not precisely judge their actual physical state. The students with a history of familial obesity had a higher degree of obesity. |
