{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,30]],"date-time":"2026-10-30T20:50:06Z","timestamp":1793393406534,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":56,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2014,7,21]],"date-time":"2014-07-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1405900800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Obesity among young people increases lifetime cardiovascular risk. This study assesses the prevalence of overweight\/obesity and its associated factors among a random sample of university students from 22 universities in 22 low, middle income and emerging economy countries. This cross-sectional survey comprised of a self-administered questionnaire and collected anthropometric measurements. The study population was 6773 (43.2%) males and 8913 (56.8%) females, aged 16 to 30 years (mean 20.8 years, SD = 2.6). Body mass index (BMI) was used for weight status. Among men, the prevalence of underweight was 10.8%, normal weight 64.4%, overweight 18.9% and obesity 5.8%, while among women, the prevalence of underweight was 17.6%, normal weight 62.1%, overweight 14.1% and obesity 5.2%. Overall, 22% were overweight or obese (24.7% men and 19.3% women).  In multivariate regression among men, younger age, coming from a higher income country, consciously avoiding fat and cholesterol, physically inactivity, current tobacco use and childhood physical abuse, and among women older age, coming from a higher income country, frequent organized religious activity, avoiding fat and cholesterol, posttraumatic stress symptoms and physical childhood abuse were associated overweight or obesity. Several gender specific risk factors identified can be utilized in health promotion programmes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph110707425","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,7,21]],"date-time":"2014-07-21T11:43:19Z","timestamp":1405942999000},"page":"7425-7441","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":231,"title":["Prevalence of Overweight\/Obesity and Its Associated Factors among University Students from 22 Countries"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5980-0876","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Karl","family":"Peltzer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Madidol University, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhonpathom 73170, Thailand"},{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa"},{"name":"HIV\/AIDS\/STIs and TB (HAST) Research Programme, Human Sciences Research Council,  Private Bag X41, Pretoria 0001, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Supa","family":"Pengpid","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Madidol University, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhonpathom 73170, Thailand"},{"name":"Department of Research, University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus, Sovenga 0727, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"T.","family":"Samuels","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, P.O. Box 64, Bridgetown 11000, Barbados"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Neslihan","family":"\u00d6zcan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Science, Istanbul University, Bakirkoy,  Istanbul 34740, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carolina","family":"Mantilla","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidad de Pamplona, Pamplona 0, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Onja","family":"Rahamefy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research and Training Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine,  University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo 001, Madagascar"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mee","family":"Wong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, 16, Medical Drive,  Singapore 117597, Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alexander","family":"Gasparishvili","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Sociological Studies, Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2014,7,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0031-1295684","article-title":"Obesity epidemiology","volume":"24","author":"Haidar","year":"2011","journal-title":"Clin. Colon Rectal Surg."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1753-4887.2011.00456.x","article-title":"Global nutrition transition and the pandemic of obesity in developing countries","volume":"70","author":"Popkin","year":"2012","journal-title":"Nutr. Rev."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.1080\/07448480903221392","article-title":"The \u201cfreshman 5\u201d: A meta-analysis of weight gain in the freshman year of college","volume":"58","author":"Elgar","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Amer. Coll. Health"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1745-7599.2007.00273.x","article-title":"Addressing nutritional issues in the college-aged client: Strategies for the nurse practitioner","volume":"20","author":"Gores","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Amer. Acad. Nurse Pract."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"148","DOI":"10.4314\/njm.v19i2.56503","article-title":"Assessment of body mass index and blood pressure among university students in, Enugu, South East, Nigeria","volume":"19","author":"Nwachukwu","year":"2010","journal-title":"Niger. J. Med."},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"376","article-title":"Health-related lifestyles and risk behaviours among students living in Alexandria University Hostels","volume":"13","author":"Abolfotouh","year":"2007","journal-title":"East Mediterr. Health J."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"29","article-title":"Impact of life style on the nutritional status of medical students at Ain Shams University","volume":"77","author":"Bakr","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Egypt. Public Health Assoc."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"234","DOI":"10.1079\/PHN2005846","article-title":"The association between the body mass index of first-year female university students and their weight-related perceptions and practices, psychological health, physicalactivity and other physical health indicators","volume":"9","author":"Cilliers","year":"2006","journal-title":"Public Health Nutr."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.4102\/curationis.v31i1.917","article-title":"The relationship between body mass index and self-concept among adolescent black female university students","volume":"31","author":"Bodiba","year":"2008","journal-title":"Curationis"},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"12","article-title":"Prevalence of obesity among the medical students in Sylhet","volume":"8","author":"Sultana","year":"2011","journal-title":"Jalalabad Med. J."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sakamaki, R., Toyama, K., Amamoto, R., Liu, C.J., and Shinfuku, N. (2005). Nutritional knowledge, food habits and health attitude of Chinese university students\u2014A cross sectional study. Nutr. J., 4.","DOI":"10.1186\/1475-2891-4-4"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jingya, B., Ye, H., Jing, W., Xi, H., and Tao, H. (2013). Quantitative analysis and comparison of BMI among Han, Tibetan, and Uygur university students in Northwest China. Sci. World J.","DOI":"10.1155\/2013\/180863"},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"442","article-title":"Prevalence of overweight\/obesity among the medical students, Malaysia","volume":"67","author":"Gopalakrishnan","year":"2012","journal-title":"Med. J. Malays."},{"key":"ref_14","first-page":"126","article-title":"The prevalence of obesity among clinical students in a Malaysian medical school","volume":"51","author":"Boo","year":"2010","journal-title":"Singap. Med. J."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"366","DOI":"10.1136\/jech.2008.080820","article-title":"Body mass index and health-related behaviours in a national cohort of 87,134 Thai Open University students","volume":"63","author":"Banwell","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Epidemiol. Community Health"},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"137","article-title":"Frequency of overweight and obesity in students of medical College Lahore","volume":"8","author":"Chaudhry","year":"2012","journal-title":"Ann. Pak. Inst. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"528","article-title":"Overweight and obesity in students of a dental college of Karachi: Lifestyle influence and measurement by an appropriate anthropometric index","volume":"59","author":"Hingorjo","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Pak. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"421","DOI":"10.1177\/1010539509344112","article-title":"Correlates of college students\u2019 physical activity: Cross-cultural differences","volume":"21","author":"Seo","year":"2009","journal-title":"Asia Pac. J. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_19","first-page":"70","article-title":"Body shape and eating attitudes among female nursing students in India","volume":"22","author":"Balhara","year":"2012","journal-title":"East Asian Arch. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"222","article-title":"Rural-urban epidemiologic transition of risk factors for coronary artery disease in collegestudents of Hyderabad and nearby rural area\u2014A pilot study","volume":"59","author":"Bhongir","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Assoc. Physician. India"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pengpid, S., and Peltzer, K. (2014). Prevalence of overweight\/obesity and central obesity and its associated factors among a sample of university students in India. Obes. Res. Clin. Pract.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.orcp.2013.12.003"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"433","DOI":"10.1590\/S0124-00642008000300008","article-title":"Anthropometric evaluation of university students in Bogot\u00e1, Colombia","volume":"10","author":"Vargas","year":"2008","journal-title":"Rev. Salud P\u00fablica"},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"197","article-title":"The frequency of risk factors associated with obesity and being overweight in university students from Colima, Mexico","volume":"12","year":"2010","journal-title":"Rev. Salud Publica"},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"45","article-title":"Obesity among Saudi Female University students: Dietary habits and health behaviors","volume":"85","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Egypt. Public Health Assoc."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69","DOI":"10.12816\/0003090","article-title":"Trends of obesity and overweight among college students in Oman: A cross sectional study","volume":"12","author":"Waly","year":"2012","journal-title":"Sultan Qaboos Univ. Med. J."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1177\/026010609801200403","article-title":"Factors associated with overweight and obesity among Kuwaiti college women","volume":"12","year":"1998","journal-title":"Nutr. Health"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"369","DOI":"10.1017\/S0007114599001610","article-title":"Dietary and socio-economic factors associated with obesity among Kuwaiti college men","volume":"82","year":"1999","journal-title":"Br. J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"516","article-title":"Obesity among university students, Tehran, Iran","volume":"15","author":"Nojomi","year":"2006","journal-title":"Asia Pac. J. Clin. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_29","first-page":"491","article-title":"Relationship between body mass index, lipids and homocysteine levels in university students","volume":"57","author":"Sanlier","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Pak. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kutlu, R., and Memetoglu, M.E. (2013). Evaluation of cardiovascular risk factors among university students in Turkey: A cross-sectional survey. Russ. Open Med. J., 2.","DOI":"10.15275\/rusomj.2013.0307"},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"Lee, R.D., and Nieman, D.C. (1993). Nutritional Assessment, Brown & Benchmark."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"381","DOI":"10.1079\/PNS19820053","article-title":"Anthropometrics revisited","volume":"41","author":"Bastow","year":"1982","journal-title":"Proc. Nutr. Soc."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"WHO Expert Consultation (2004). Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet, 363, 157\u2013163.","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(03)15268-3"},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"WHO The International Classification of Adult Underweight, Overweight and Obesity according to BMI. Available online: http:\/\/apps.who.int\/bmi\/index.jsp?introPage=intro_3.html."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"443","DOI":"10.1037\/0278-6133.16.5.443","article-title":"Healthy dietary practices among European students","volume":"16","author":"Wardle","year":"1997","journal-title":"Health Psychol."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.1177\/0265407596131008","article-title":"Simultaneous assessment of perceived global and relationship-specific support","volume":"13","author":"Brock","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. Soc. Pers. Relationsh."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1823","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2007.01.006","article-title":"Internalized stigma, discrimination, and depression among men and women living with HIV\/AIDS in Cape Town, South Africa","volume":"64","author":"Simbayi","year":"2007","journal-title":"Soc. Sci. Med."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"885","DOI":"10.1176\/ajp.154.6.885b","article-title":"Religion index for psychiatric research: A 5-item measure for use in health outcome studies","volume":"154","author":"Koenig","year":"1997","journal-title":"Amer. J. Psychiat."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"402","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amepre.2009.01.029","article-title":"Global variability in fruit and vegetable consumption","volume":"36","author":"Hall","year":"2009","journal-title":"Amer. J. Prev. Med."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"485","DOI":"10.1111\/j.2044-8260.1992.tb01021.x","article-title":"Cognitive predictors of health behaviour in contrasting regions of Europe","volume":"31","author":"Steptoe","year":"1992","journal-title":"Brit. J. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1381","DOI":"10.1249\/01.MSS.0000078924.61453.FB","article-title":"International physical activity questionnaire: 12-Country reliability and validity","volume":"35","author":"Craig","year":"2003","journal-title":"Med. Sci. Sport. Exercise"},{"key":"ref_42","unstructured":"International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) IPAQ Scoring Protocol. Available online: https:\/\/sites.google.com\/site\/theipaq\/."},{"key":"ref_43","unstructured":"(1998). Guidelines for Controlling and Monitoring the Tobacco Epidemic, World Health Organization (WHO)."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1016\/S0749-3797(18)30622-6","article-title":"Screening for depression in well older adults: Evaluation of a short form of the CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale)","volume":"10","author":"Andresen","year":"1994","journal-title":"Amer. J. Prev. Med."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1525-1497.2005.00292.x","article-title":"Brief report: Utility of a short screening scale for DSM-IV PTSD in primary care","volume":"21","author":"Kimerling","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Gen. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref_46","unstructured":"Fox, J.A. (1981). Methods in Quantitative Criminology, Academic Press."},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"World Bank New Country Classifications, 2013. Available online: http:\/\/data.worldbank.org\/news\/new-country-classifications."},{"key":"ref_48","unstructured":"The World Bank GDP per capita, PPP (current international $). Available online: http:\/\/data.worldbank.org\/indicator\/SE.TER.ENRR."},{"key":"ref_49","unstructured":"World Health Organization Global Health Observatory Data Repository. Infant Mortality. Available online: http:\/\/apps.who.int\/gho\/data\/node.main.688?lang=en."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1007\/s10943-012-9621-x","article-title":"Religion and BMI in Australia","volume":"53","author":"Kortt","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Relig. Health"},{"key":"ref_51","first-page":"A146","article-title":"Feasibility of an evidence-based weight loss intervention for a faith-based, rural, African American population","volume":"8","author":"Yeary","year":"2011","journal-title":"Prev. Chronic Dis."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"700","DOI":"10.1177\/109019819802500603","article-title":"The religion-health connection: Evidence, theory, and future directions","volume":"25","author":"Ellison","year":"1998","journal-title":"Health Educ. Behav."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1038\/oby.2000.19","article-title":"Prevalence of pre-obesity and obesity in urban adult Mexicans in comparison with other large surveys","volume":"8","author":"Arroyo","year":"2000","journal-title":"Obes. Res."},{"key":"ref_54","first-page":"519","article-title":"Reasons mentioned by university student who practice physical and sporting activities","volume":"41","author":"Ruiz","year":"2009","journal-title":"Rev. Latinoamer. Psicol."},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"200","DOI":"10.1038\/oby.2011.318","article-title":"Association of post-traumaticstress disorder and obesity in a nationally representative sample","volume":"20","author":"Pagoto","year":"2012","journal-title":"Obesity"},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1900","DOI":"10.1038\/oby.2009.160","article-title":"A 30-year follow-up of the effects of child abuse and neglect on obesity in adulthood","volume":"17","author":"Bentley","year":"2009","journal-title":"Obesity"}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/11\/7\/7425\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T21:13:49Z","timestamp":1760217229000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/11\/7\/7425"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2014,7,21]]},"references-count":56,"journal-issue":{"issue":"7","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2014,7]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph110707425"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph110707425","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1660-4601","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2014,7,21]]}}}