Association Between Healthy Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Risk in Higher Education Students in a Region of Peru: A...

Background: Cardiometabolic diseases are among the leading causes of mortality worldwide and are strongly influenced by lifestyle factors. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association between a healthy lifestyle and cardiometabolic risk in higher education students in the San Martín region, Peru. Methods: A cross-sectional study with non-probabilistic convenience sampling was conducted among 1054 students from higher education institutions in the San Martín region, Peru. The Healthy Diet and Lifestyle Scale (DEVS) was applied, and anthropometric indicators (BMI and waist circumference) were assessed by trained nutritionists. Descriptive statistics, association tests (chi-square and Wilcoxon), and Poisson regression models with robust variance were used. Results: Obesity was significantly associated with higher vitamin B12 intake (PR = 2.39; 95% CI: 1.16-4.91) and with higher water consumption (>8 glasses/day) (PR = 2.61; 95% CI: 1.20-5.66), although these findings may reflect reverse causality given the cross-sectional nature of the data. Greater whole grain consumption was associated with a lower risk of elevated waist circumference (PR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.40-0.91). Similarly, engaging in ≥30 min of daily physical activity was significantly associated with reduced central adiposity (PR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.56-0.86). Conclusions: The findings suggest that whole grain consumption and regular physical activity act as protective factors, whereas certain dietary patterns-despite being considered healthy-may be associated with higher cardiometabolic risk depending on the dietary context.