The Journal of Community Health Management
  • Year: 2015
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue: 3

Nutritional status and knowledge about obesity among nursing students of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

  • Author:
  • Kshitij Raj1,, Hari Shankar2
  • Total Page Count: 7
  • Page Number: 120 to 126

1Jr. II, Dept. of Community Medicine, IMS, BHU.

2Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Email: dr_h_shankar@yahoo.co.in

*Address for Correspondence: Dr. Kshitij Raj, Jr. 2nd, Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, India, Email: k.ob.raj@gmail.com

Online published on 4 February, 2016.

Abstract

There has been growing concern about nutritional status of Indian young population especially girls. This study was planned to find out nutritional status of nursing students using BMI and their knowledge about obesity.

A cross sectional study was conducted at college of nursing, IMS, BHU among 112 nursing students by using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. The weight and height was taken at that time. Data analysis was done by using excel.

Out of 128 girls 42.2% were undernourished with BMI <18.5 and 17.2% out of 29 boys were undernourished. Family size, type of ration card, year of study, source of drinking water and per capita monthly income seems to have no role on BMI. About 18.5% of students think that substance abuse does not contribute to obesity. 29.3% of nursing students do not consider obesity as a disease.

Though Indian govt. is running programs nutrition supplementation and upliftment, even in educated individuals the percentage of under nutrition is high. Malnutrition leads to vicious cycle of disease occurrence and malnutrition.

Keywords

BMI, Under Nutrition, Overweight, Obesity