The correlation between obesity and metabolic syndrome in young female university students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association between increased body mass index (BMI) values and the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in young female science students. Methodology: The study population was 174 female students aged 18–25 years attending King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Anthropometric measurements obtained included weight, height, waist, and hips circumferences. Blood pressure was also measured, and blood samples were collected for measurements of total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and other biochemical parameters. Results: Around 17.7% of the students were at risk of developing MetS, with three or more risk factors detected, and 45% of the students had one or two risk factors. Increased BMI values were associated with an elevated risk of developing MetS, as 41.4% of the overweight students and 44.8% of the obese students had three or more risk factors. Conclusion: The prevalence of MetS is increasing in Young female university in the KSA as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle, including a lack of physical activity, leading to increased weight and the possible development of chronic diseases.