Sociocultural Characteristic, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors Among a Sample of Kuwaiti Male University Students

Abstract

In the past six decades, the Kuwaiti population has been exposed to rapid transformation in the quality of diet intake, daily activities, and career types. This major socioeconomic shift was accompanied by the introduction of both communicable and noncommunicable chronic diseases afflicting people of all ages. This article aims to detect a relationship between sociocultural characteristics—such as physical activity, dietary habits, and smoking—and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 262 male university students in Kuwait; participants were selected by using a convenient nonrandom opportunistic sample. Associated social and health factors were obtained using a closed-ended questionnaire. BMI and blood tests that include clusters of MetS risk components were drawn from participants in primary health care clinics. More than half of the participants were overweight and obese; 74.4% of the participants reported they did not visit a nutritionist; 69.8% said that they are currently not on a diet; 53.4% of the students were nonsmokers; 42.7% reported moderate to very low daily physical activity. The prevalence of MetS components increased among students with older age, employed, and married ( p < .001), higher BMI, higher income, smoking, fewer number of family members living, and belonging to the Shia religious sect ( p < .05). The high frequency of MetS among younger students needs to be considered by Kuwaiti community members and the government to highlight the risk factors of MetS on individuals’ well-being, quality of life, and life expectation.