Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences

Background and Objective: The prevalence of overweight and obesity is significantly increasing in the world and this study aims to investigate the rate of overweight and obesity among students of dentistry to obtain correct and better information about enforcement of dental treatment and create a very useful guide for health policy-makers.

Materials and Methods: The present study is a descriptive study.A total of 181 dental students of Yazd Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, in the first semester of the academic year 2014-2015 were studied by random selection as examples, their information were collected by questionnaires and by anthropometric device, then an independent t-test analysis was done inorder to study the difference of average. Data, was divided by age, sex and family history.

Results: The prevalence of obesity, overweight and abdominal obesity among boys was more than girls. The prevalence of obesity among boys was 21 %, while the rate among girls was 2%, and overall prevalence was 11%. The prevalence of overweight among boys was 28% and among girls 15%, and the overall prevalence was 22%. The prevalence of abdominal obesity among boys was 19% and among girls was 11%, and the overall prevalence was 15%. These results indicates the significant statistical differences between males and females (p value < 0.05).

Conclusion: In the Faculties of Dentistry, due to high activity of students and the high number of clients, the students' attention to their nutrition is very low. So, it can be recommended that the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, and the presidents of the faculties, put priority on paying attention to students nourishment.

Key words: Obesity, Abdominal obesity, Overweight, Students

Funding: This research was funded by Shahid Sadoughy University of Medical Sciences.

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Ethical approval: The Ethics Committee of Shahid Sadoughy University of Medical Sciences approved the study.

How to cite this article: Mohammadi M, Mahmoodi Darvishani S, Mirzaei M, Bahrololoomi Z, Sheikhi A, Bidbozorg H, Sajedi S. The Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity among dental students of Medical Sciences of Yazd in 2014. J RafsanjanUniv Med Sci 2015 14(3): 189-98. [Farsi]