Fast food consumption and its association with obesity among female college students in Al-Medina Al-Munwarah , Saudi Arabia: A cross sectional study
Suha Hashim Abduljawad and Nermin Nagah Elnashar
Taibah University, Saudi Arabia
: J Pharm Sci Emerg Drugs
Abstract
The present study was done among 100 female college students in Al-Medina Al-Munwarah, Saudi Arabia to understand better their dietary habits. Results indicates that the presence of the highest increase weight ratio according to the body mass index (B.M.I) which was found in student girls as (37.9%), which the ratio of what described as obesity state (B.M.I =30 or above) the highest in student is (17.02%). It was observed that 1.41% were likely to be diabetic (with blood glucose levels 6.08-7.2 mmol/l) whom consumed fast food more than three times a week, 98.8 %in the uncertain group (blood glucose were normal levels 4.6-6.9 mmol/l). Students consuming fast food two times or less had normal levels of plasma cholesterol as well triglyceride. This resulted in no change in the cholesterol and triglyceride, the plasma lipid response to consumption of fast food three times or more was also as expected. Cholesterol levels were increased in only 1.34% of group 2, and triglycerides levels were increased by fast food consumption in 1.12% of group 2. In conclusion, our investigation suggests that fast food consumption among students affects diet quality in ways that would plausibly increase risk for obesity, regardless of baseline body weight. public health measures to limit fast food consumption in students may be warranted. Such measures could include nutrition education campaigns, legislation to regulate marketing of fast food to students, and elimination of fast food from Colleges.
Biography
Suha Hashim Abduljawad has completed his PhD at the age of 32 years from king Saud University and Postdoctoral Studies from food and nutrition collage, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. She has published more than 15 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of repute.
E-mail: Suha_hashem@yahoo.com
