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Modifiable Risk Factors for Major Non-communicable Diseases Among Medical Students in Nepal

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of modifiable risk factors of the major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among medical students. A cross sectional study was conducted at three randomly selected medical colleges in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. All third-year medical students (n = 191) participated in the study. A total of 62.3 % of the respondents were male, and 37.7 % were female. The mean age of the respondents was 21.5 ± 1.0 (SD) years. A total of 20.4 % (n = 39) of the medical students were current tobacco users and 50.8 % (n = 97) have ever consumed alcohol. The majority (85.6 %) of the medical students did not consume the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. A total of 30.9 % (n = 59) of the medical students were involved in low level of physical activity and 42.9 % (n = 82) were involved in moderate level of physical activity. This study showed a high prevalence of risk factors of major NCDs among medical students and interventions are needed to change the unhealthy behaviour of medical students being role models in society.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the students and medical colleges that participated in the study. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nepal Development Society (NEDS), Chitwan, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Shiva Raj Mishra & Dinesh Neupane

  2. Department of Public Health, Center for Global Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark

    Dinesh Neupane & Per Kallestrup

  3. Institute of Medicine, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Aditya Shakya & Samaj Adhikari

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  1. Shiva Raj Mishra
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  2. Dinesh Neupane
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  3. Aditya Shakya
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  4. Samaj Adhikari
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  5. Per Kallestrup
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Correspondence to Shiva Raj Mishra.

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Mishra, S.R., Neupane, D., Shakya, A. et al. Modifiable Risk Factors for Major Non-communicable Diseases Among Medical Students in Nepal. J Community Health 40, 863–868 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-015-0012-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-015-0012-6

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