Association between obesity and family history of non-communicable diseases among a group of medical students in Sri Lanka

Introduction: Obesity is a major predisposing factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with a strong familial tendency. Since medical student life is typically characterized by a decrease in physical activity levels, stress and associated poor eating habits, they are at a higher risk of developing obesity.
Methods: This study was conducted among 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th - year medical students at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Height and body weight were measured, and socio-demographic data, information regarding NCDs, and family history of NCDs were collected using a self-administered questionnaire.
Results: The sample size was 113 with 52 (46%) male students. Among male students, 30.8% were obese, and 26.9% were overweight, while that of female students is 3.3% and 8.2%. The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher among males than females (p<0.05) and significantly associated with a family history of cardiovascular disease (p<0.05) and dyslipidemia (p<0.01). A family non-communicable disease score had a significant correlation with the body mass index of students (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The study revealed that medical students have a higher prevalence of obesity compared to already published data on the general population in Sri Lanka. A significant association between obesity among students and a family history of cardiovascular disease and dyslipidemia is an alarming concern for the possibility of developing cardiovascular disease in the future.