Background and Objective: Many studies shown
that students gain weight during their first educational year at college. The
aim of this study was to detect
the anthropometric indices and body composition changes among
medical students entranced at Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: In this longitudinal
study, samples were selected by census
method (73 medical students) and
assayed. Individual questionnaire was filled. Height
and waist circumference were quantified by
using a tape measure. Weight and
body composition were measured by
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) in three different stage
entrance, at the end of the first semester and at the end of the second
semester. All data were analyzed by using repeated measures
ANOVA and Fisher's exact test. Results: Findings showed that anthropometric indices and body
composition changes at the end of the study,
except the body fat percentage reduced compared to arrival
time. Only the waist circumference and the body fat percentage were significantly
different (p=0.044 and p=0.033, respectively). Comparison
of anthropometric indices and body fat percentage according to the sex showed
no significant difference at entrance time and end of study. Finally the percentage of overweight and obesity were based on body fat percentage
lower than body mass index and waist circumference (respectively 10.2%, 22%, 15.3%.). Also with the same index underweight was
lower than BMI category (10.2% vs 23.7%). Conclusion: At the end of the study, the changes in body fat percentage and waist circumference were statistically different. The prevalence of overweight and underweight on the basis of three criteria-body fat percentage, body mass index and waist circumference- at the beginning of the study till the end of it, were not statistically significant differences observed. Keywords: Anthropometric indices, Body composition, Medical Students, Bioelectrical
impedance analysis Funding: This
research was funded by Occupational Environmental Research Center and Research Council of Rafsanjan University of Medical
Sciences. Conflict of interest: None declared. Ethical approval: The Ethics Committee of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences
approved the study. . How to cite this article: Salem Z, Sheikh Fathollahi M, Khatami F,
Iranmanesh F, Rezaeian M. Survey of
Anthropometric Indices and Body Composition Changes at the End of the Second semester, among Medical Students Entranced at Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences in 2012. J Rafsanjan Univ Med Sci 2014 13(5): 407-18. [Farsi]
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