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Context: Obesity has negative health impacts. Obese people have higher risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Overweight and obesity during young adulthood can track into later adulthood along with its higher risk for NCDs. Aims: To identify the weight control intention and dietary practices used among normal, overweight, and obese college females and to know the reasons for discontinuation among ever tried subjects. Settings and Design : A cross-sectional study conducted in urban and rural colleges of Agra. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among 400 female college students. Height and weight were measured to assess body composition according to BMI (Body Mass Index) criteria (WHO 2002). Study included a semi-structured and semi-open-ended instrument to assess practices related to weight control. Their responses were collected, tabulated, analyzed, and interpreted. Statistical analysis used: Frequency. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was found to be 18.5% and 4.5%, respectively, according to BMI (WHO 2002). One third of the subjects were recording their weight monthly. Slightly less than half of the subjects (46%) were trying to maintain optimum weight. Almost one third of these subjects (33.5%) were presently trying to lose weight. About one fifth of total 400 subjects (20.5%) were not concerned about their weight status. Majority of the subjects (85%) irrespective of their obesity status did not take any professional advice. More than half (52.7%) were resorting to physical activity to lose weight. Taking more fruits/vegetables (44.7%) was found to be the most common healthy dieting practices and most unhealthy was fasting (15.3%). More than one fourth (28.8%) of the subjects abandoned weight control practices because of shortage of time followed by 22.4% due to physical weakness. Conclusions: Collectively, results indicate female college students, regardless of weight status, would benefit from open discussions with health educators regarding healthy and effective dieting practices to achieve/maintain a healthy body weight.

Background: Overweight and obesity now ranks as the fifth leading global risk for mortality. In addition, 44% of the diabetes burden, 23% of the ischemic heart disease burden and between 7% and 41% of certain cancer burdens are attributable to overweight and obesity. Objective: To measure prevalence of obesity and to get an idea of related perceptions among college girls of Agra Study design: Cross sectional study Setting: Degree colleges of Agra Study period: January to June 2009 Sample size: 400 college going girls of 18-24 years Study variable: Height, Weight, Semi-structured and semi-open ended performa Statistical Analysis: Percentage, mean, standard deviation, logistic regression analysis Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was found to be 18.5% & 4.5% respectively according to Body mass index. Logistic regression model revealed that the odds ratio for weight, height, age, religion and mothers education of the subjects were statistically significant in prediction of prevalence of obesity. Majority (65.7%) of the respondents perceived overweight as body weight being more than normal [comparatively more (72.2%) obese subjects opined] whereas 14.0 and 13.8 percent viewed it as body weight disproportionate to height & age and as extra fat over body respectively. Majority (67.7%) of the respondents perceived obesity as extra fat deposition over abdomen and thighs. Overwhelming majority (96.0%) of the subjects attributed diet responsible for obesity. Almost all the subjects (95.7%) believed high fat foods responsible as obesigenic whereas more than half of the subjects (56.7%) blamed fast food items such as burger, noodles & pizza along with chocolates. Conclusion: It is generally accepted that comprehensive and coordinated interventions which support and facilitate physical activity and healthy diets in the context of a social-determinants-of-health approach represent the best way forward for obesity prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity is not an immediate lethal disease itself, but it is a significant risk factor associated with serious non-communicable conditions like hypertension. Therefore, attention should be taken in to account as prevention is better than cure. Objective: To examine the Body Mass Index(BMI) and Waist to Hip circumference Ratio(WHR) measurements as indices of obesity and their influence over blood pressure(BP) of college going girls of Agra. Method: A cross sectional study was conducted among 400 college going girls aged 18-24 years from undergraduate and postgraduate sections. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, systolic and diastolic BP was recorded. The partial correlation coefficient was used to quantify the association between BMI and WHR with systolic and diastolic BP. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the influence of BMI & WHR on the variance of systolic and diastolic BP. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 18.5% and 4.5% respectively. 45.5% of the subjects had normal weight and 31.5% were underweight. 11.5% of the participants had WHR ?0.85. Partial correlation controlled for age revealed a significant association between BMI and WHR. Stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that both BMI and WHR were independently correlated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Conclusion: The present results suggest that, of the subjects studied; those with either higher BMI or central adiposity distribution are potential candidates for developing hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]