Impact of an educational intervention in improving the body mass index and waist-hip ratio among first-year MBBS students

Background: Unhealthy lifestyle practices and physical inactivity may lead to overweight, obesity, and other noncommunicable diseases. For an undergraduate medical student, the 1^st year is a dynamic transitional period of development and growth. An educational intervention if planned at this crucial stage may help to improve the health status of the students. The present study was therefore designed to evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary educational intervention in improving the body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio among the undergraduate medical students. Materials and Methods: Hundred and seventy-seven 1^st-year undergraduate medical students (74 males and 103 females) participated in the study. A multidisciplinary educational intervention was provided to promote a healthy lifestyle. The parameters such as BMI and waist-hip ratio were measured both in the baseline and 3 months after the educational intervention. The BMI calculated was used to categorize the student population into four groups: normal, overweight, obese, and underweight. Results: After the educational intervention, a significant difference was observed in the BMI, the hip circumference, and the waist/hip ratio (<0.001). The waist circumference although showed a decrease, the finding, however, was not significant statistically. Further, the obesity among the student population also observed a marked reduction. The comparison of the parameters among the male and the female students did not show any statistical difference. Conclusion: A multidisciplinary educational intervention on healthy lifestyle practices aids to enhance the health status of an individual by improving the BMI and waist/hip ratio. It would further contribute to a medical student's role in promoting a healthy lifestyle.