Obesogenic Environment in the medical field: First year findings from a five-year cohort study

Abstract

Background: Doctors with a normal BMI and healthy living habits have shown to be more confident and effective in providing realistic guidance and obesity management to their patient. This study investigated obesogenic tendencies of medical students as they progress in their medical studies. Methods: A cohort of forty-nine medical students enrolled in a five-year cohort study and was followed up after one year. At the initiation of the cohort, socio-demography and information on anthropometry, accommodation, eating behavior, stress and sleeping habits of the students had been recorded.  Follow-up data were collected using a standardized self-administered questionnaire. Results: Thirty-seven percent of the students in the cohort are either obese or overweight in the one-year period. A year of follow-up suggests that there is an increase in BMI among the male students (P=0.008) and the changes are associated with changes in accommodation (P=0.016) , stress levels (P=0.021), and sleeping habits (P=0.011). Conclusion: Medical education system should seriously consider evaluating this aspect in the curriculum development to help our future medical practitioners practice a healthy lifestyle and be the initiator of change in the worsening prevalence of obesity worldwide.