Assessment of Obesity-Related Risk Factors and the Effectiveness of an Eating Well
Program among Professional College Students
Prof. Dr. Sanjev Dave 1, Abhishek Verma 2*
- Prof. & HOD, Community Medicine, PSLMDABH ASMC Auraiya, (UP)
- Senior Resident, Department of Community Medicine, Dr. BS Kushwaha Institute of Medical Sciences, Kanpur, India;
- *Corresponding Author: Dr. Abhishek Verma, MD, Resident, Rama Medical College & Hospital and Research Center, Kanpur,
India. [email protected]
Submitted: 1 September 2026; Accepted: 28 September 2026; Published: 10 Oct 2026.
Background: Obesity among young adults has emerged as an important public health concern because of unhealthy dietary practices, physical inactivity, and other modifiable lifestyle behaviors.
Professional college students are particularly vulnerable to these risk factors during the transition to independent living. Institution-based nutrition education programs may improve awareness and promote healthier lifestyle practices.
Methods: A longitudinal observational study was conducted among 380 undergraduate students aged 18–30 years at a tertiary teaching institution in North India. Participants were selected by simple random sampling. Baseline assessment included sociodemographic characteristics, dietary and lifestyle risk factors, anthropometric measurements, and knowledge regarding healthy eating. A structured Eating Well Program was implemented, and participants were reassessed after six months. Data
were analyzed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: Overall, 50.0% of participants were either overweight or obese. Frequent meal skipping, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, regular consumption of junk food and sugar-sweetened beverages, and eating outside the home were common obesity-related risk factors. No significant association was observed between body mass index and the selected demographic variables.
After the Eating Well Program, awareness of healthy eating and knowledge of the health effects of excess sugar, salt, and trans fat improved substantially. Significant reductions were also observed in body mass index, waist circumference, and neck circumference after six months (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Professional college students exhibited several modifiable obesity-related risk factors. The Eating Well Program significantly improved nutrition-related knowledge and produced favorable changes in obesity-related anthropometric indicators. Institution-based nutrition education programs may support obesity prevention and promote healthier lifestyle behaviors among young adults.
Keywords: Obesity; Risk factors; Nutrition education; Eating Well Program; College students; Anthropometry.
