{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T06:03:52Z","timestamp":1789625032620,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789603200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"\n Introduction<\/jats:title>\n Medical students are exposed to chronic stress, unhealthy lifestyle habits, and emerging cardiometabolic risks, which are usually related to their nutritional status and quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to assess the relationship between overweight or obesity, elevated blood pressure, and QoL among medical students in Poland, and to identify its determinants over a 2-year longitudinal period.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Materials and methods<\/jats:title>\n A total of 887 first-year medical students from the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice were enrolled in the prospective POLLEK study, with 705 students followed up in their second year. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure assessments, and QoL evaluation using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire were performed at both time points. Logistic regression and chi-square tests were applied to identify predictors of lower QoL and elevated blood pressure across BMI categories.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n The prevalence of overweight or obesity increased slightly from 12.9% in the first year to 13.6% in the second year, and was statistically significant higher among male students. A small but statistically significant increase in BMI and blood pressure values was observed over the follow-up period. The highest rates of elevated blood pressure were found among obese students at both time points (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f&lt;\u202f0.0001). Overall QoL scores did not differ significantly across BMI categories. Logistic regression identified poor financial situation (OR\u202f=\u202f1.669\u20131.910) and a history of chronic disease (OR\u202f=\u202f2.153\u20132.228) as independent predictors of lower QoL in both years of observation.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n Overweight or obesity among medical students slightly increased over 2\u202fyears of follow-up and was associated with elevated blood pressure and unfavorable lifestyle patterns. The primary determinants of reduced QoL were financial hardship and chronic diseases rather than BMI itself. We believe that the early preventive interventions addressing weight disorders and health-promoting behaviors should be useful in the improvement of the situation.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1922706","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T05:33:36Z","timestamp":1789623216000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The relationship between overweight or obesity, elevated blood pressure and the overall quality of life in medical students, Poland"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Iwona","family":"Ziele\u0144-Zynek","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice","place":["Katowice, Poland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Szymon","family":"Szemik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice","place":["Katowice, Poland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ma\u0142gorzata","family":"Kowalska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice","place":["Katowice, Poland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","volume-title":"Country Health Profile 2025: Poland. State of Health in the EU","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1880","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare13151880","article-title":"Physical activity, BMI, and their effects on university students' quality of life","volume":"13","author":"Lalovi\u0107","year":"2025","journal-title":"Healthcare (Basel)"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1001","DOI":"10.1111\/medu.12247","article-title":"Medical students' health-related quality of life: roles of social and behavioural factors","volume":"47","author":"Jamali","year":"2013","journal-title":"Med Educ"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"206","DOI":"10.4103\/2230-8210.176357","article-title":"High prevalence of preobesity and obesity among medical students of Lahore and its relation with dietary habits and physical activity","volume":"20","author":"Khan","year":"2016","journal-title":"Indian J Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"ref5","first-page":"26","article-title":"Prevalence of overweight and obesity among medical students","volume":"10","author":"Rekha","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Sci Stud"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.31983\/jkb.v15i2.12572","article-title":"BMI and physical activity with cardiovascular fitness and quality of life of health vocational students at the University of Bengkulu","volume":"15","author":"Kurniati","year":"2025","journal-title":"Jurnal Kebidanan"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"221","DOI":"10.1016\/S2213-8587(24)00316-4","article-title":"Definition and diagnostic criteria of clinical obesity","volume":"13","author":"Rubino","year":"2025","journal-title":"Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"79: 104007","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amsu.2022.104007","article-title":"Prevalence of obesity and its association with fast-food consumption and physical activity: a cross-sectional study and review of medical students' obesity rate","volume":"79","author":"Alhashemi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ann Med Surg (Lond)"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"606","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-025-26092-8","article-title":"Association between body mass index, demographics, and hypertension risk in South African University students","volume":"26","author":"Gomwe","year":"2026","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"992","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15030992","article-title":"The high prevalence of high normal blood pressure and the differential association of grip strength metrics with hypertension in a national sample of Chinese college students","volume":"15","author":"Yang","year":"2026","journal-title":"J Clin Med"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3912","DOI":"10.1093\/eurheartj\/ehae178","article-title":"ESC scientific document group. 2024 ESC guidelines for the management of elevated blood pressure and hypertension","volume":"45","author":"McEvoy","year":"2024","journal-title":"Eur Heart J"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.21203\/rs.3.rs-8652432\/v1","article-title":"Global evidence on health-related quality of life assessment among in university students: a scoping review of instruments and study characteristics","author":"Rodrigues","year":"2026","journal-title":"Res Square"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1045","DOI":"10.1080\/07448481.2021.1920597","article-title":"Quality of life and life satisfaction among university students: exploring, subjective norms, general health, optimism, and attitude as potential mediators","volume":"71","author":"Tavakoly Sany","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Am Coll Heal"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"186","DOI":"10.1080\/08964289.2023.2202847","article-title":"Health related quality of life and cardiovascular risk factors","volume":"50","author":"Kontoangelos","year":"2024","journal-title":"Behav Med"},{"key":"ref15","volume-title":"Guidance for Monitoring Healthy Diets Globally","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.3389\/fnut.2024.1437292","article-title":"Prevalence and determinants of overweight or obesity among medical students over a 2-year observation","volume":"11","author":"Szemik","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Nutr"},{"key":"ref17","volume-title":"Hypertension Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Control among Adults age 18 and older: United States, August 2021\u2013August 2023. NCHS Data Brief, no 511","author":"Fryar","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1673","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-19184-4","article-title":"Global prevalence of obesity and overweight among medical students: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"24","author":"Shafiee","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1016\/S2213-8587(25)00004-X","article-title":"Redefining obesity: advancing care for better lives","volume":"13","year":"2025","journal-title":"Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"s143","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.s143","article-title":"Politics trump science in new US dietary guidelines","volume":"392","author":"Nestle","year":"2026","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1339","DOI":"10.1111\/jch.14560","article-title":"The prevalence of general obesity, abdominal obesity, and hypertension and its related risk factors among young adult students in Bangladesh","volume":"24","author":"Ali","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich)"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"281","DOI":"10.4103\/jfmpc.jfmpc_1231_21","article-title":"Anthropometric indices and its association with hypertension among young medical students: a 2 year cross-sectional study","volume":"11","author":"Lahole","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Family Med Prim Care"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0279452","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0279452","article-title":"Prevalence of hypertension and other cardiovascular disease risk factors among university students from the National Polytechnic Institute of of C\u00f4te D'ivoire: a cross-sectional study","volume":"18","author":"Zobo","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1282","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph22081282","article-title":"Do medical students suffer from chronic diseases? A secondary cross-sectional analysis of a medical School in Portugal","volume":"22","author":"Prazeres","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref25","first-page":"1035","article-title":"Experiential avoidance, committed action and quality of life: differences between college students with and without chronic illness","volume-title":"J Health Psychol","author":"Coutinho","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"182","DOI":"10.5114\/jhi.2024.145937","article-title":"Quality of life among medical students with a history of chronic disease. Findings from a two-year follow-up study","volume":"10","author":"Szemik","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Health Inequal"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"S137","DOI":"10.4103\/ijcm.ijcm_523_24","article-title":"Weight perception and bullying among overweight and obese students (age 6-16 years) in Amritsar District","volume":"51","author":"Batish","year":"2026","journal-title":"Indian J Community Med"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e19556","DOI":"10.7717\/peerj.19556","article-title":"Prevalence of obesity and associated risk factors among university students using the newly developed student lifestyle and obesity risk questionnaire (SLORQ): a cross-sectional study","volume":"13","author":"Seyam","year":"2025","journal-title":"PeerJ"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e644","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(17)30200-0","article-title":"Reframing non-communicable diseases as socially transmitted conditions","volume":"5","author":"Allen","year":"2017","journal-title":"Lancet Glob Health"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2723","DOI":"10.70670\/sra.v4i2.2370","article-title":"Dietary habits, nutritional status, and socioeconomic factors among university students in Punjab, Pakistan: a multicity nutritional and social survey","volume":"4","author":"Riaz","year":"2026","journal-title":"Soc Sci Rev Archives"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-025-06701-1","article-title":"Impact of socioeconomic and political stressors on mental health: a cross-sectional study on university students in Lebanon","volume":"25","author":"Al-Khalil","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Med Educ"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1077","DOI":"10.30773\/pi.2023.0161","article-title":"Psychosocial factors influencing quality of life among medical students","volume":"20","author":"Seo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Psychiatry Investig"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"731","DOI":"10.5958\/0976-5506.2019.01360.3","article-title":"Association between eating habits and body mass index in a sample of medical college students in Wasit university","volume":"10","author":"Taher","year":"2019","journal-title":"Indian J Public Health Res"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"482","DOI":"10.21203\/rs.3.rs-8382060\/v1","article-title":"Prevalence and factors influencing obesity among medical students, Salem District, Tamilnadu","volume":"16","author":"Sangeetha","year":"2026","journal-title":"JCHR"},{"key":"ref35","first-page":"29","article-title":"Prevalence and associated factors of overweight and obesity among medical students from the Western Balkans (south-East Europe region)","volume-title":"BMC Public Health","author":"Ili\u0107","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"808","DOI":"10.70252\/YWOV6377","article-title":"Lifestyle choices and risk of developing cardiovascular disease in college students","volume":"15","author":"Tran","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Exerc Sci"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1739","DOI":"10.4103\/jfmpc.jfmpc_1016_23","article-title":"Medical students' dietary habits: motivations and barriers to reaching health goals","volume":"13","author":"Carcoana","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Family Med Prim Care"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1029","DOI":"10.1093\/ije\/dyw319","article-title":"Fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and all-cause mortality\u2014a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies","volume":"46","author":"Aune","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int J Epidemiol"},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e253","DOI":"10.1093\/ije\/dyad078","article-title":"Data resource profile: World Health Organization health inequality data repository","volume":"52","author":"Kirkby","year":"2023","journal-title":"IntJ Epidemiol"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"495","DOI":"10.13075\/ijomeh.1896.02475","article-title":"Change in quality of life in medical students across graduation: results of POLLEK study","volume":"37","author":"Szemik","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int J Occup Med Environ Health"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1922706\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T05:33:38Z","timestamp":1789623218000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1922706\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]]},"references-count":40,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1922706"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1922706","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]]},"article-number":"1922706"}}