Knowledge and attitudes towards and prevalence of overweight and obesity among undergraduate students at Universiti Kuala Lumpur Royal College of Medicine: A cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: Overweight and obesity pose significant health risks, affecting social and economic well-being and potentially hindering mental health and learning outcomes. This study investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and prevalence of overweight and obesity among undergraduate students at Universiti Kuala Lumpur Royal College of Medicine (UniKL RCMP), Malaysia.

METHODS: A total of 351 UniKL RCMP undergraduate students participated in this study. Descriptive analysis was used to evaluate the sociodemographic and educational profiles of respondents. The chi-square test was conducted to identify the relationship between the sociodemographic and educational profiles and the level of knowledge and attitudes towards overweight and obesity.

RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 25.4%. The majority of the respondents possessed a good level of knowledge regarding overweight and obesity (n=316, 90%). The respondents' programme was significantly associated with their level of knowledge (P=0.001).

CONCLUSION: This study provides important information to university authorities, students, lecturers, parents and other stakeholders in education and health sectors about the impacts of overweight and obesity on the physical, social and academic welfare of university students.