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Simultaneity of behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular disease in university students
Renata Gomes Paulitsch1, Samuel Carvalho Dumith1, Lulie Rosane Odeh Susin1
1Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - Rio Grande (RS), Brasil.
Insights
Nearly a quarter of university students exhibit multiple cardiovascular disease risk factors, including poor diet and inactivity. Absence of breakfast and lower perceived health are key associated factors, highlighting a need for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) pose a significant global health burden.
- Behavioral risk factors, including physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, alcohol, and tobacco use, are primary contributors to CVD.
- Understanding the clustering of these risk factors in young adult populations is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and associated factors of clustered behavioral risk factors for CVD among undergraduate students.
- To identify specific demographic and lifestyle factors linked to the simultaneous presence of multiple risk factors.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,123 undergraduate students.
- Data collected included socio-demographic variables, lifestyle habits (e.g., breakfast, diet), body mass index, and self-perceived general health.
- Ordinal logistic regression was used for crude and adjusted analyses, stratified by gender, to determine factors associated with the clustering of risk factors.
Main Results:
- A prevalence of 24.7% of students reported two or more simultaneous CVD risk factors.
- Adjusted analysis revealed significant associations between intermediate maternal education, absence of breakfast habit, and poor or regular self-perceived general health with the clustering of risk factors (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- A substantial proportion of undergraduate students exhibit multiple behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
- Absence of breakfast habit and poor or regular self-perceived general health emerged as significant factors associated with risk factor clustering.
- These findings underscore the need for targeted public health interventions to address behavioral risk factors in university student populations.
Objective:
To analyze the prevalence and factors associated with clustering of four behavioral risk factors - physical inactivity, high fat intake, harmful use of alcohol and tobacco use - for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among undergraduate students from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Methods:
Cross-sectional study. Socio-demographic variables, breakfast habits, satisfaction with body image, body mass index, and self-perceived general health were analyzed. The outcome evaluated was simultaneity of risk factors for CVD. Crude and adjusted analyses were carried out, stratified by gender, using ordinal logistic regression, extracting odds ratio with respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) and p values.
Results:
The sample was composed of 1,123 students (response rate: 66.0%); of these, 24.7% had two or more risk factors. In the adjusted analysis, the variables intermediate maternal education, absence of breakfast habit, and poor or regular self-perceived general health was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with the outcomes.
Conclusion:
The results indicate an important prevalence of two or more simultaneous risk factors among undergraduate students. It was possible to outline which groups are more susceptible to more risk factors. The association between absence of breakfast habit and poor/regular self-perceived general health are highlighted.
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