Keywords
obesity
BMI
undergraduate students
dietary habits.
How to Cite
Abstract
Background: Obesity is a growing global health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, with lifestyle behaviors such as dietary patterns contributing significantly to its prevalence. Breakfast consumption has been identified as an important determinant of nutritional status, yet breakfast skipping is increasingly common among university students.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the association between breakfast skipping and BMI among undergraduate students at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro.
Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 345 undergraduate students selected through stratified random sampling across three disciplines: BS Nursing, Doctor of Pharmacy, and Doctor of Physiotherapy. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that included demographic information, anthropometric measurements, and breakfast-eating behaviors. Breakfast skipping was categorized as skippers (0–3 days/week), irregular skippers (4–5 days/week), and non-skippers (6–7 days/week). Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated to classify participants into underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese categories. Statistical analysis was performed using the Fisher exact test, with a significance level set at p < 0.05.
Results: The majority of participants were female (60.3%) and aged 21–24 years (62%). Most students (60%) were non-skippers, while 23.8% were skippers and 16.2% irregular skippers. BMI distribution showed 66.4% had normal weight, 25.5% were underweight, 5.8% overweight, and 2.3% obese. The Fisher's exact test revealed no statistically significant association between breakfast skipping and BMI categories (p = 0.075).
Conclusion: Although breakfast skipping was prevalent among a notable proportion of undergraduate students, this study did not find a statistically significant association between breakfast habits and BMI. These findings suggest that other lifestyle and dietary factors may play a more substantial role in influencing BMI.