The Factors Affecting the Increase in Overweight and Obesity on the Students of the University of Vlora (2012 - 2013)

Abstract

Overweight and Obesity share a common character that the disease is spreading in young people throughout the world. Today in the USA 1 in 4 children is overweight [1] and 65% of the American people are considered obese [2], these reasons are more than enough to name the phenomenon "globesyity". The purpose of this study is the identification of the modifiable factors that affect the risk of overweight and obesity. The sample included 500 students, 323 of them were females and 177 males. The results from the research show that, the changes are considered statistically significant with a p-value of p<0.05. The factors that contribute on the BMI change among the students are related to: parents education, economic level of the family, the historic of health problems, the use of food that have a high level of proteins, sugars and fats and medicament usage.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n27p1308