METHOD

RESULTS

37.3% of students evaluated were overweight, and 11.8% obese. Women were the most affected, being 29.0% overweight and 5.9% obese. The significant relationship between the variables was established (table 1).

Table 2shows that 59.0% and 13.3% of overweight and obese students had a high and very high risk of abdominal obesity, respectively. The chi-square test demonstrated an association between the variables described.

Most students who ate three or more meals daily were overweight (74.7%) and obese (22.9%). In addition, 66.3% and 15.7% of young people who frequently ate carbohydrates were overweight and obese, respectively. 54.2% of students who presented excess body weight consumed junk food between 1 and 2 times a week and frequently ingested soft drinks and juices (49.4%). Likewise, 15.7% of those surveyed consumed alcoholic beverages one to two times a week, 14.4% smoked and none took drugs. An association was found between the consumption of junk food and carbohydrates with excess body weight (table 3).

Table 4compiled information about the relationship between a sedentary lifestyle and excess body weight. 84.4% of overweight and obese respondents watched television less than three hours daily. In addition, 71.0% of students remained seated between 5 and 8 hours a day. The majority of students with excess body weight did not perform any physical activity (57.8%). 56.6% of overweight university students and 10.8% who presented obesity stated that they slept less than 7 hours a day. 30.1% of the overweight students evaluated worked. A significant relationship was found between the daily hours that the students remain seated, the hours of sleep and excess body weight.

DISCUSSION

The study evaluated 169 students from a Peruvian university's medical technology professional school. 49.1% of young people were found to be overweight (37.3%) and obese (11.8%), coming mainly from urban areas (Table 1). Similar results were reported by Pengpid and Peltzer⁽⁸⁾when evaluating Indian university students. These authors found that 37.5% of young people had excess body weight (26.8% overweight and 10.7% obese). Likewise, studies carried out in the Peruvian population recorded high levels of overweight or obesity in young people^2,11. It is estimated that the prevalence of overweight in urban areas is double that in rural areas. While obesity is up to seven times more frequent¹².

Excess body weight was higher in women (overweight: 29.0% and obesity: 5.9%) (Table 1). These results coincide with Pajuelo et al two who reported a higher prevalence of obesity in women (23.4%), compared to men (15.7%). In addition, the study by Tarqui-Mamani et al¹³showed that women had a greater tendency to a significant increase in weight over seven years of follow-up. This could be explained because women tend to accumulate a greater amount of body fat because their basal fat oxidation is lower than in men.

Other studies have shown that women have higher leptin concentrations. This hormone is responsible for regulating body weight, and its serum concentration is associated with the presence of estrogen. Its high production would explain why women frequently have a greater tendency to be overweight and obese than men¹⁴.

InTable 2, it was reported that 59.0% and 13.3% of students with excess weight presented a high and very high risk of abdominal obesity, respectively. In Colombia, the correlation between body mass index, waist circumference and cardiovascular risk in schoolchildren was evaluated. A waist circumference of 87.40 ± 6.59 cm was reported in men and 87.19 ± 7.09 in women, considered as a high risk of abdominal obesity¹⁵.

Waist circumference is a complementary measure to body mass index, determining an individual's risk of abdominal obesity. It has shown good correlation with the amount of intra-abdominal fat calculated through computed tomography. It is widely used because it is non-invasive and low cost. In addition, it is associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic factors¹⁶.

Regarding the eating habits of young people with excess weight (Table 3). An association was demonstrated between consuming junk food and carbohydrates with overweight and obesity in young people. University students are a vulnerable group to present nutritional deficiencies. Many times they do not have enough time to have full meals as a result of university activities. Some youth replace meals with snacks. Likewise, they register a decrease in the consumption of fruits, vegetables and fish. While their consumption of fast food, snacks, soft drinks and alcohol is higher¹⁷.

It should be noted that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, university education has been taking place in virtual environments. Young people must spend many hours in front of the computer to receive classes and develop their activities, increasing anxiety levels about eating unhealthy food. In this regard, an investigation carried out in American students showed that weight gain is greater in university students compared to young people who do not attend university¹⁸.

The results obtained in this study indicated that there was no relationship between alcohol intake and overweight or obesity (Table 3). In addition, 100% and 85.6% of those surveyed stated that they did not use drugs or tobacco, respectively. Due to the measures established by the government to minimize the spread of COVID-19, social gatherings were restricted in Peru. This caused young people to reduce their alcohol intake due to existing prohibitions or fear of getting sick.

Nevertheless, several studies affirm a direct relationship between alcohol intake and abdominal adiposity^19,20. Alcohol is capable of inhibiting the effect of leptin and increasing an individual's appetite and food intake. Likewise, it has been shown that it inhibits the oxidation of fats, preventing them from being used as energy, which favors the accumulation of fat in the body²⁰.

15.6% of respondents with excess body weight watched television programs for more than three hours a day. In addition, more than half remained seated between 5 and 8 hours a day and did not perform physical activity (Table 4). Other investigations on university students reported a greater tendency to be overweight in young people who did not perform physical activity^21,22. In this regard, García²³⁾ showed that little physical activity is often associated with "laziness", since young people feel comfortable with a sedentary lifestyle.

Other conditioning factors of physical inactivity are lack of time and social support. Likewise, habits such as watching television and spending several hours sitting or lying down contribute to acquiring inactive lifestyles and favor increasing body weight⁽²¹⁾. Most of the students stated that they did not have a job (69.8%). So they stay at home, which could also encourage their sedentary lifestyle.

67.4% of respondents slept less than 7 hours daily (Table 4). Similar results were registered in students belonging to six Chilean universities, where 76.3% slept less than the recommended number of hours¹⁹. Likewise, Duran-Agüero et al²⁴showed that sleeping fewer hours was associated with being overweight or obese (OR = 1.84; 95% CI 1.26-2.68) and also with daytime sleepiness. It should be noted that poor quality and quantity of sleep, as well as irregular bedtime, is a common problem among young people. This contributes to daytime sleepiness and increased food intake, which favors weight gain.

Among the study's limitations, it can be mentioned that the measurement of the variables was carried out only once and the type of cross-sectional study did not allow establishing a causal relationship. In addition, measures to establish the distribution of body fat and the evaluation of parameters such as glycemia, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, among others, were not included.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, the intake of foods with a high carbohydrate content and junk food, in addition to the hours spent sleeping and sitting, are the factors associated with the high prevalence of overweight and obesity in university students during COVID-19. 19 therefore, social policies directed towards the promotion of moderate physical exercise should be directed. Likewise, it is necessary to develop healthy eating programs that guide young people and the general population about the importance of a balanced diet. All of this will make it possible to face COVID-19 with better weapons, since obesity generates greater complications of the disease.