title: Stress and cardiometabolic manifestations among Saudi students entering universities: a cross-sectional observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this observational study, we aimed to see whether transition in Saudi students entering university life could be a breeding stage for cardiometabolic risk factor emergence and clustering.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1878 apparently healthy Saudi students of the Preparatory Year, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA (1112 men and 766 women) spanning 2 academic years were included. They were divided into 2 groups based on the validated perceived stress test (PST). Anthropometrics were obtained and fasting blood samples were collected for measurement of fasting blood glucose and a lipid profile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PST score (>27) considered indicative of stress was noted in 44.4% of students. The prevalence of this score was higher in women than in men (49.7% versus 40.7%). The prevalence of obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia was significantly higher in men than women (p < 0.01), and this was even more apparent among stressed men, who had a significantly higher prevalence of all the above cardiometabolic factors than the non-stressed ones (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceived stress is alarmingly high among Saudi students entering universities. This study sheds light on the social responsibility of universities in promoting a healthy lifestyle, particularly in this age group, when exposure to different kinds of stressors may result in body weight and metabolic changes.
authors.affiliation: Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P,O, Box, 2455, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. aldaghri2011@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nasser M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Al-Daghri
authors.forename: Abdulaziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Othman
authors.forename: Omar S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Al-Attas
authors.forename: Khalid M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Alkharfy
authors.forename: Majed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Alokail
authors.forename: Abdulmajeed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albanyan
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabico
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Chrousos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids
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