Anthropometric measures in association with blood pressure level in physical education and medical male college students, El-minia University

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, El-Minia University

2 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, El-Minia University.

Abstract

Lack of physical activity, social stress and sedentary life style are involved as risk factors for 
cardiovascular diseases. The target of the study is to evaluate the anthropometric and blood 
pressure differences between physical education students and medical students after one or 
two years of study at El-minia University. A cross sectional study was performed with a 
sample of 814 male students (400 medical students), of age between 18-19 years old. 
Anthropometric data was collected, including weight, stature, midarm, midchest, waist, hip 
circumferences, and skinfold thickness of biceps, triceps, subscapular, abdominal and 
suprailiac regions. Body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-stature ratio 
(WSR) were calculated. All anthropometric parameters indicating overweight and obesity 
were higher in medical than physical education students, including BMI (24.6±4.4 kg/m2 to 
23.1±2.3 kg/m2), with significant level (p<0.05). Also the means of both systolic and 
diastolic blood pressure were higher in medical students (mean of SBP= 122.5±13 mmHg, 
DBP= 78.9±9.5 mmHg), than physical education students (SBP= 118.9±8.5 mmHg, DBP= 
76.4±7.3 mmHg). Decreased physical activity and sedentary stressful life considered as risk 
factors for blood pressure elevation

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