Body mass index of nepalese medical students: A cross-sectional study

Background: Obesity, usually defined by body mass index (BMI), has become a global public health threat by its epidemic proportions. The prevalence of obesity and overweight in Nepalese medical students has not been reported.
Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in two private sector medical colleges of Nepal. BMI was calculated based on self-reported height and weight of the students and students were grouped into categories of underweight, normal, overweight, and obese (BMI Kg/m2<18.5, 18.5-24.9, 25-29.9, and ≥30 respectively).
Results: Of total 355 students, 55.77% were girls and average BMI was 20.80±2.4. Girls were younger and leaner than boys. More students were from first year and less from fourth year. Categorization showed 18.31% students underweight, 77.18% normal, 4.23% overweight, and 0.3% obese (one male student). However, using 23 Kg/m2 cutoff value recommended for Asian Indian adult population, prevalence of overweight was 19.4%. BMI values were more in new students.
Conclusion: Prevalence of overweight and obesity is moderate in Nepalese medical students. Factors affecting BMI in medical students should be explored further.