Evaluation of clinical aspects of obesity among undergraduate healthcare students- a cross-sectional study at King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND

Obesity among healthcare students (HCs)is a growing concern that needs to be addressed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, awareness, perceptions, practice, and preparedness of obesity, and associated factors among undergraduate HCs.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2023 to March 2024 using an online prevalidated questionnaire, to assess clinical aspects of obesity.Simple random sampling was applied for data collection from nursing, emergency medical services (EMS), and pharmacy students at Saudi University, Riyadh Saudi Arabia. All data were analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS).

RESULTS

A total of 456 HCs participated in this study. Among those 68% believed eating high carbohydrates, fats, and sugars leads to obesity. At the same time, 52.2% and 57.2% were aware that smoking and stress can contribute to obesity. On the other hand, 41.9% live a healthy lifestyle and 38.65% engage in physical activity to control their obesity. The demographic variables such as age (p = 0.0001), gender (p = 0.0001), professional classification (p = 0.0001), presence of chronic diseases (p = 0.0001), history of weight loss treatment (p = 0.0001) and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.0001) were significantly associated with knowledge of obesity(p = 0.001). Similarly, students' age (p = 0.001), presence of chronic diseases (p = 0.004) history of weight loss treatment (p = 0.0001), BMI (p = 0.001), and active status (p = 0.0001) were significantly associated with the perception of the obesity.

CONCLUSION

Undergraduate HCs possess a good understanding of the clinical prospects of obesity. They know its causes, risks, and treatment options. Additionally, they are well-prepared to support individuals in managing their weight through lifestyle modifications and psychological counseling.