Somatic Changes of University Students in BMI and WHR

Abstract

Summary The article dealt with the assessment of somatic changes of the students at the Slovak University of Technology (STU), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (FME), specifically expressed by Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) during the years 2007 and 2013. In total 2228 men were involved in the study and measured upon their entry at the university. It was found out that the values of BMI belonged to the category of average range measured for adults (from 22.96 kg.m-2 to 24.60 kg.m-2) and indicates standard values. Statistically significant differences (p<0.01) were discovered between the years 2011 (23.70 kg.m-2) and 2012 (24.60 kg.m-2), 2012 (24.60 kg.m-2) and 2013 (22.96 kg.m-2). In 2012 participants achieved in average the highest values (BMI = 24.60 kg.m-2), which borders with a moderate overweight. In the contrary, in 2013 the students achieved the lowest values of BMI (22.96 kg.m-2). A slight increase of average BMI values may be observed from the first test in 2007 until 2012. The predominance of standard weight was measured at 71% of the total number of monitored students and the predominance of overweight was measured at 22% of students from the total number of university students. The observation of WHR numbers makes us conclude that during our seven year study no significant differences were discovered in the first five years. The values were stable and from the mean point of view, they do not indicate the risk of development of diseases relating to overweight and obesity. In 2012 and 2013 a slight decrease of WHR values was detected < 0.85. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were discovered between the years 2010 (0.854) and 2011 (0.864), and also between 2011 (0.864) and 2012 (0.843). The lowest mean value of WHR was measured when performing the last test in the year 2013 (0.823). There was a statistically significant difference at p<0.05 within the years 2012 and 2013. The highest mean value was discovered in 2011 (0.864). However, the average values achieved in a group of students were lower than 1.0, which can be evaluated as a set with no risk of obesity and overweight disease development.