Attitudes liées à l’obésité chez les élèves -professeurs de l’école normale supérieure de l’université de yaoundé i

Abstract

Background and aims: The prevalence of obesity is increasing throughout the world and in Cameroon especially with the high rate of nutrition transition. Its etiology is dependent on different factors such as nutrition knowledge, level of physical activity, eating practices and others factors. Therefore, it is general call of concern; for everybody, mostly higher teacher training students to be equipped with nutritional knowledge to adopt healthy eating practices. In order to deal with this obesity pandemic, this study aimed to assess both the prevalence of obesity and the attitudes related to obesity amongst students of the Higher Teacher Training College of Yaounde I-Cameroon. Methods: The study was conducted among two hundred and eleven students (92 men and 119 women) aged between 18 and 40 years. A questionnaire was filled, anthropometric and clinical parameters were measured during the Higher Teachers’ Training College open days of year 2015. Keys results: The prevalence of obesity amongst students was 3.8%, significantly higher (p=0.002) in female (5.9%) than in men (1.1%). The students’ attitudes about obesity were found not satisfactory, particularly in regard with alimentary troubles: they preferred sweet taste. In fact, the main practices consisted of high consumption of soft drinks (67.8%), low consumption of fruits and vegetables (34.6%) and munching between meals (54%). However, a low consumption of alcohol (10%) was reported. Conclusion: Although the prevalence of obesity was low in this studied population, it is important to include nutrition courses in the training programs of this institution in order to give adequate nutrition knowledge, for further efficient lifetime prevention of obesity. Background and aims: The prevalence of obesity is increasing throughout the world and in Cameroon especially with the high rate of nutrition transition. Its etiology is dependent on different factors such as nutrition knowledge, level of physical activity, eating practices and others factors. Therefore, it is general call of concern; for everybody, mostly higher teacher training students to be equipped with nutritional knowledge to adopt healthy eating practices. In order to deal with this obesity pandemic, this study aimed to assess both the prevalence of obesity and the attitudes related to obesity amongst students of the Higher Teacher Training College of Yaounde I-Cameroon. Methods: The study was conducted among two hundred and eleven students (92 men and 119 women) aged between 18 and 40 years. A questionnaire was filled, anthropometric and clinical parameters were measured during the Higher Teachers’ Training College open days of year 2015. Keys results: The prevalence of obesity amongst students was 3.8%, significantly higher (p=0.002) in female (5.9%) than in men (1.1%). The students’ attitudes about obesity were found not satisfactory, particularly in regard with alimentary troubles: they preferred sweet taste. In fact, the main practices consisted of high consumption of soft drinks (67.8%), low consumption of fruits and vegetables (34.6%) and munching between meals (54%). However, a low consumption of alcohol (10%) was reported. Conclusion: Although the prevalence of obesity was low in this studied population, it is important to include nutrition courses in the training programs of this institution in order to give adequate nutrition knowledge, for further efficient lifetime prevention of obesity. Background and aims: The prevalence of obesity is increasing throughout the world and in Cameroon especially with the high rate of nutrition transition. Its etiology is dependent on different factors such as nutrition knowledge, level of physical activity, eating practices and others factors. Therefore, it is general call of concern; for everybody, mostly higher teacher training students to be equipped with nutritional knowledge to adopt healthy eating practices. In order to deal with this obesity pandemic, this study aimed to assess both the prevalence of obesity and the attitudes related to obesity amongst students of the Higher Teacher Training College of Yaounde I-Cameroon. Methods: The study was conducted among two hundred and eleven students (92 men and 119 women) aged between 18 and 40 years. A questionnaire was filled, anthropometric and clinical parameters were measured during the Higher Teachers’ Training College open days of year 2015. Keys results: The prevalence of obesity amongst students was 3.8%, significantly higher (p=0.002) in female (5.9%) than in men (1.1%). The students’ attitudes about obesity were found not satisfactory, particularly in regard with alimentary troubles: they preferred sweet taste. In fact, the main practices consisted of high consumption of soft drinks (67.8%), low consumption of fruits and vegetables (34.6%) and munching between meals (54%). However, a low consumption of alcohol (10%) was reported. Conclusion: Although the prevalence of obesity was low in this studied population, it is important to include nutrition courses in the training programs of this institution in order to give adequate nutrition knowledge, for further efficient lifetime prevention of obesity.