Background: University students in Iraq face rising obesity risk linked to physical inactivity, prolonged sedentary behavior, insufficient sleep, and academic stress. Longitudinal evidence examining the combined influence of these behaviors on weight status in Iraqi universities remains limited. Objective: This study examined six-month longitudinal associations of physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep duration, and perceived stress with body mass index and percentage body fat among Iraqi university students. Methods: A prospective multi-behavioral study was conducted at six public universities in Iraq. Six hundred undergraduate students aged 18–25 years were followed monthly during one academic semester. Validated questionnaires and smartphone-based applications assessed health behaviors, while standardized procedures measured body mass index and body fat. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, regression models, and repeated-measures analysis. Results: Overweight and obesity prevalence reached 63.7%. Most students met minimum physical activity recommendations, yet sedentary time was high and sleep duration was suboptimal. Sleep duration showed a small inverse association with body mass index and body fat and was the only behavior differing significantly across body mass index categories. Males exhibited higher body mass index, whereas females had higher body fat percentage. Conclusions: Integrated context-sensitive health strategies addressing sleep habits, sedentary behavior, and academic lifestyle factors may support obesity prevention.
Globally, iron deficiency anemia is a problematic nutritional deficiency health-related issue that impacts early-adulthood people such as university students. The aim was to asses female nursing students’ knowledge concerning iron deficiency anemia in the College of Nursing, University of Baghdad.
A cross-sectional survey was carried out from the period of June 18, 2023 to December 20, 2023. Nonprobability (purposive) samples of 100 female nursing students were selected from the second, third, and fourth stages in the College of N
Introduction: Sleep, an essential therapeutic part of human physiology, Sleep problems was widespread among students in medical colleges, and excessive stress and the pressure of holding grades can affect their sleep quality. The relationship between sleep, stress and cognition/learning is far more complex than perceived. Material and Method: Cross sectional study was conducted in Al-Kindy College of Medicine, during the period from (2022 to 2023) academic year. The electronic questionnaire was distributed among all students. Analysis of data was carried out using IBM SPSS version 24. Results: A total of (500) medical students' online surveys were analyzed from AL-Kindy College of Medicine, The highest number of participants was fro
... Show MoreObjective: to evaluate the increase in weight after biological agents and the association of weight gain with the body mass index among a sample of patients attending Baghdad Teaching Hospital Methods: A prospective study is carried out in Baghdad teaching hospital biological units and outpatient clinic of rheumatology for a period of one year starting On April 2015 and ending on March 2016. 120 patients were included in the study 40 psoriatic arthritis .40 ankylosing spondylitis and 40 rheumatoid arthritis Results : The study findings indicate that significance differences are seen regarding weight gain and b
Objectives: To assess the psychological adjustment of middle school students and to identify the relationship between differences in demographic characteristics and psychological adjustment.
Methodology: A descriptive correlation design was used. The study utilized a simple random sample to select (381) students using self-report to select students who will be recruited into the study for the period from November 26th, 2021 to April 1st, 2022. A scale approved in the study consisting of 40 items was chosen. It measures four trends which are personal, social, familial, and emotional adjustment. The data were analyzed by applying the descriptive statistical dat
... Show MoreSmoking and central obesity have both been linked to periodontitis, but their combined relationship with periodontal disease may be influenced by demographic and behavioral factors. This cross-sectional study analyzed records of 420 adult dental patients attending the College of Dentistry at the University of Baghdad. Data included demographic characteristics, smoking status, periodontal clinical findings, body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Periodontitis was defined according to the 2018 classification framework, and logistic regression models were used to examine the associations of smoking and obesity-related indicators with periodontitis. The overall prevalence of periodontitis was 36.4%. Participants with p
... Show MoreBackground:Periodontal diseases and dental caries are the most common oral diseases, but they can be adequately prevented by adopting a specific health behavior and plaque control.The study was carried out to determine and compare oral health status; it included both caries experience, gingival health and oral hygiene behavior betweenfirst and fifth yearsof Al-Mustansiriyahdental students. Materials and methods: Total sample of the study consisted of 50 students at first year (25 males, 25 females)and 60 students at fifth year (30 males, 30 females). Plaque andgingival indices,dental caries indices (DMFS and DMFT) wererecorded to evaluateoral health status for each student. Further questionnaires were given to evaluate different oral hyg
... Show MoreBackground: Nutrition and diet can affect the development and integrity of the oral cavity including the development and eruption of primary teeth. Aims of the study: The study was carried out to determine the effect of weight status of the child and gender on the number of deciduous teeth erupted in the oral cavity. Material and method: A children from the age 12 months -35 months attending Specialist Health Center and children of Nursery in Al-Khadraa, and nursery in Al- Aadamyia and Hay-Heteen. The number of teeth erupted, gender and body mass index were recorded. Results: The results showed that eruption of primary dentition was quicker in children who were overweight than those with normal weight and underweight and faster in girls
... Show MoreBackground: Body image is one of the most important psychological factors that affects adolescents’ personality and behavior. Body image can be defined as the person’s perceptions, thoughts, and feelings about his or her body.
Objectives: to identify the prevalence of body image concerns among secondary school students and its relation to different factors.
Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study conducted in which 796 secondary school students participated and body shape concerns was investigated using the body shape questionnaire (BSQ-34).
Results: The prevalence of moderate/marked concern was (21.6%). Moderate/ marked body shape concern was significantly associated
... Show MoreBackground: Mouth breathing can lead to introduce cold, dry unprepared air that insults the tissue of oral cavity, nasopharynx and lung, leading in turn to pathological changes in oronasal cavity, nasopharyngeal and other respiratory tissue, mouth breathing associated with nasal obstruction may lead to many health problems, in particular oral health problems such as inflammation of gingiva, oral dryness, change in oral environment that may decrease pH, salivary flow rate and increase bacteria and dental caries.Aims of the present study were to assess the oral health condition among mouth breather associated with nasal obstruction, including dental caries, oral cleanliness and gingival health condition as well as to evaluate the changes in s
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