[Cardiovascular risk factor prevalence in university students]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading cause of mortality globally.
• Early identification and management of CVD risk factors are essential for prevention.
• University students represent a critical demographic for assessing lifestyle-related health risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among university students in Medellin.
• To analyze risk factor distribution by gender.
• To inform the development of targeted public health interventions.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study involving 112 university students.
• Assessment of lipid profiles.
• Surveys on lifestyle (sedentary behavior, smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, stress) and family history.
• Statistical analysis using Chi-squared test and binary logistic regression, stratified by gender.

Main Results:

• The study population was predominantly female (82.1%).
• A high prevalence of modifiable risk factors was observed: sedentary lifestyle (79.5%), alcohol consumption (75.0%), atherogenic diet (78.6%), stress (86.7%), and dyslipidemia (48.3%).
• Non-modifiable risk factors were identified in 77.7% of students, with hypertension (1.8%) and overweight/obesity (4.5% with BMI >25) also noted.

Conclusions:

• The majority of Medellin university students possess significant cardiovascular disease risk factors, necessitating urgent intervention strategies.
• There is a critical need to encourage healthy lifestyle choices among young adults to mitigate future cardiovascular risk.
• Public health initiatives should focus on addressing the high prevalence of modifiable risk factors in this population.