title: The association of nutrition behaviors and physical activity with general and central obesity in Caribbean undergraduate students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related factors in a crosssectional, observational study of Caribbean students using the results of three recent surveys of health behavior among undergraduates in Barbados, Grenada, and Jamaica.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of1 578 Caribbean undergraduate students from Barbados, Grenada, and Jamaica (ages 18-30 years) completed questionnaires and had physical measurements recorded. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for the association of nutrition behaviors with prevalence of obesity (body mass index > 30 kg/m² ); elevated waist-to-height ratio (W/ht) (> 0.50); and high waist circumference (WC) (> 88 cm in females, > 102 cm in males). Models were adjusted for age, year in university, socioeconomic status, and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a higher prevalence of obesity (13% versus 10%), high WC (21% versus 7%), and high W/ht (35% versus 25%) in females relative to males. Compared to females, males had reduced odds of obesity (OR 0.46), high WC (OR 0.22), and high W/ht (OR 0.61) (P < 0.05 for all). Both females (46%) and males (24%) reported high levels of physical inactivity. Fruit and vegetable consumption was low (approximately two servings per day). Many students reported avoiding fatty foods (40%); this behavior was associated with high W/ht (OR 1.68), obesity (OR 1.90), and high WC (OR 1.82) (P < 0.05 for all). Irregular breakfast consumption, age, and year of study were also positively associated with obesity. Physical activity was not significantly associated with any obesity measure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a low prevalence of healthy behaviors and a high prevalence of obesity in this sample of Caribbean young adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America, meleciaw@live.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Melecia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America, meleciaw@live.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Adair
authors.affiliation: University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: Caryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: St. George's University, Grenada.
authors.forename: Omowale
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Amuleru-Marshall
authors.affiliation: Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peltzer
authors.affiliation: Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Supa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pengpid
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Michael, Barbados.
authors.forename: T Alafia
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Samuels
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017691:Caribbean Region; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students; D055815:Young Adult