Obesity Concerns and the Future of a Nation’s Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Physical Activity and Related Awareness of Doctors-in-The-Making, Staff, and Faculty in a Saudi Arabian Medical College
Hassan A Alzahrani,1 Mohammad Tauheed Ahmad,2 Ziyad S Alasmari,3 Fares A Aljarallah,3 Lubna M Hafiz,3 Basim A Almasoudi,3 Ahmad A Alibrahim,3 Walid M Abd El Maksoud,1 Mohammed A Bawahab,1 Mohammed A Alsaleem4 1Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 2D...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/obesity-concerns-and-the-future-of-a-nations-health-a-cross-sectional--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JMDH |
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| author | Alzahrani HA Ahmad MT Alasmari ZS Aljarallah FA Hafiz LM Almasoudi BA Alibrahim AA Abd El Maksoud WM Bawahab MA Alsaleem MA |
| author_facet | Alzahrani HA Ahmad MT Alasmari ZS Aljarallah FA Hafiz LM Almasoudi BA Alibrahim AA Abd El Maksoud WM Bawahab MA Alsaleem MA |
| author_sort | Alzahrani HA |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hassan A Alzahrani,1 Mohammad Tauheed Ahmad,2 Ziyad S Alasmari,3 Fares A Aljarallah,3 Lubna M Hafiz,3 Basim A Almasoudi,3 Ahmad A Alibrahim,3 Walid M Abd El Maksoud,1 Mohammed A Bawahab,1 Mohammed A Alsaleem4 1Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 3Medical Student, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Hassan A Alzahrani, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 641, Abha, Saudi Arabia, Email hahassan@kku.edu.saBackground: Saudi Arabian population has amongst the highest prevalence of obesity globally. Apart from nutritional measures, physical activity is considered a major modifiable risk factor for the prevention of obesity and its consequences. An insight into the physical activity and awareness parameters of healthcare professionals and those in the making can provide an insight into how prepared we are to deal with the epidemic of non-communicable diseases. The aim of this study is to find out about the degree of physical activity undertaken by the medical students, faculty and staff at the College of Medicine, King Khalid University, as well as their awareness regarding physical activity guidelines.Methods: This study surveyed 300 adult participants - medical students, faculty and staff - in the College of Medicine, King Khalid University. An international validated questionnaire was used to assess the physical activity profile of participants as well as BMI parameters. Moreover, awareness and knowledge of the recommended physical activity guidelines for adults were also assessed.Results: The study participants comprised around 83% students, 9% faculty members, and 7% staff members. Around 55% of the participants were male, while the rest were female. More than 65% of participants across all categories reported low levels of physical activity, with only about 4.5% of participants across various age groups reporting high levels of physical activity. There was no significant difference by gender across the group (P value = 0.227). Only 17% of the study participants were knowledgeable of the recommended physical activity guidelines for adults.Conclusion: We found a low level of physical activity as well as inadequate awareness about the physical activity guidelines amongst our study participants. This study reiterates the urgent need for well-researched and well-funded health promoting interventions to promote physical activity, especially in the context of health professions’ education.Keywords: obesity, overweight, physical activity, physical activity guidelines |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:27:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4e0919b998984aa286ba84ea2492de32 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-2390 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:27:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-4e0919b998984aa286ba84ea2492de322023-04-11T19:05:00ZengDove Medical PressJournal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare1178-23902023-04-01Volume 1695196282812Obesity Concerns and the Future of a Nation’s Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Physical Activity and Related Awareness of Doctors-in-The-Making, Staff, and Faculty in a Saudi Arabian Medical CollegeAlzahrani HAAhmad MTAlasmari ZSAljarallah FAHafiz LMAlmasoudi BAAlibrahim AAAbd El Maksoud WMBawahab MAAlsaleem MAHassan A Alzahrani,1 Mohammad Tauheed Ahmad,2 Ziyad S Alasmari,3 Fares A Aljarallah,3 Lubna M Hafiz,3 Basim A Almasoudi,3 Ahmad A Alibrahim,3 Walid M Abd El Maksoud,1 Mohammed A Bawahab,1 Mohammed A Alsaleem4 1Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 3Medical Student, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Hassan A Alzahrani, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 641, Abha, Saudi Arabia, Email hahassan@kku.edu.saBackground: Saudi Arabian population has amongst the highest prevalence of obesity globally. Apart from nutritional measures, physical activity is considered a major modifiable risk factor for the prevention of obesity and its consequences. An insight into the physical activity and awareness parameters of healthcare professionals and those in the making can provide an insight into how prepared we are to deal with the epidemic of non-communicable diseases. The aim of this study is to find out about the degree of physical activity undertaken by the medical students, faculty and staff at the College of Medicine, King Khalid University, as well as their awareness regarding physical activity guidelines.Methods: This study surveyed 300 adult participants - medical students, faculty and staff - in the College of Medicine, King Khalid University. An international validated questionnaire was used to assess the physical activity profile of participants as well as BMI parameters. Moreover, awareness and knowledge of the recommended physical activity guidelines for adults were also assessed.Results: The study participants comprised around 83% students, 9% faculty members, and 7% staff members. Around 55% of the participants were male, while the rest were female. More than 65% of participants across all categories reported low levels of physical activity, with only about 4.5% of participants across various age groups reporting high levels of physical activity. There was no significant difference by gender across the group (P value = 0.227). Only 17% of the study participants were knowledgeable of the recommended physical activity guidelines for adults.Conclusion: We found a low level of physical activity as well as inadequate awareness about the physical activity guidelines amongst our study participants. This study reiterates the urgent need for well-researched and well-funded health promoting interventions to promote physical activity, especially in the context of health professions’ education.Keywords: obesity, overweight, physical activity, physical activity guidelineshttps://www.dovepress.com/obesity-concerns-and-the-future-of-a-nations-health-a-cross-sectional--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JMDHobesityoverweightphysical activityphysical activity guidelines |
| spellingShingle | Alzahrani HA Ahmad MT Alasmari ZS Aljarallah FA Hafiz LM Almasoudi BA Alibrahim AA Abd El Maksoud WM Bawahab MA Alsaleem MA Obesity Concerns and the Future of a Nation’s Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Physical Activity and Related Awareness of Doctors-in-The-Making, Staff, and Faculty in a Saudi Arabian Medical College Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare obesity overweight physical activity physical activity guidelines |
| title | Obesity Concerns and the Future of a Nation’s Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Physical Activity and Related Awareness of Doctors-in-The-Making, Staff, and Faculty in a Saudi Arabian Medical College |
| title_full | Obesity Concerns and the Future of a Nation’s Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Physical Activity and Related Awareness of Doctors-in-The-Making, Staff, and Faculty in a Saudi Arabian Medical College |
| title_fullStr | Obesity Concerns and the Future of a Nation’s Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Physical Activity and Related Awareness of Doctors-in-The-Making, Staff, and Faculty in a Saudi Arabian Medical College |
| title_full_unstemmed | Obesity Concerns and the Future of a Nation’s Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Physical Activity and Related Awareness of Doctors-in-The-Making, Staff, and Faculty in a Saudi Arabian Medical College |
| title_short | Obesity Concerns and the Future of a Nation’s Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Physical Activity and Related Awareness of Doctors-in-The-Making, Staff, and Faculty in a Saudi Arabian Medical College |
| title_sort | obesity concerns and the future of a nation rsquo s health a cross sectional study of physical activity and related awareness of doctors in the making staff and faculty in a saudi arabian medical college |
| topic | obesity overweight physical activity physical activity guidelines |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/obesity-concerns-and-the-future-of-a-nations-health-a-cross-sectional--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JMDH |
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