Demographics, Habits, Diseases & Current Health Status of Varendra University Students in Bangladesh

Background: The transition to the university life is a very critical stage that usually results in serious changes in lifestyle, dieting habits, and independence that have very strong influence over the health in the long perspective. As the rates of sedentary habits and lifestyle diseases among young adults in developing countries increase, it is crucial to be aware of the profile of the particular health of university students in the country to conduct a successful health planning. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study that evaluated the sociodemographic features, lifestyle habits, and physiological health status of 1,500 students of Varendra University in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The selection of the participants was through convenient sampling in different departments. Face-to-face interviews were also used to gather data that was based on a standardized questionnaire that included variables such as age, gender, residential status, monthly expenditure, Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure, sleeping patterns, or smoking habits. Results: The study population was 59.13 % males and 40.87 % females, most of them (64.20%) in the 21-23 age group. Residential analysis indicated that close to two-thirds of the students (64.2%) resided in student messes and this could have affected their food preferences. The analysis of BMI showed that the burden of malnutrition was two: a substantial number of 28.73% of the population were underweight, and the total numbers 28.27% were overweight and obese. Making cardiovascular health measurements, it turned out that 35.20% of students had low blood pressure, and 11.67% said that they had hypertension. The results of lifestyle were worrying as 27.87% of the students were found to be smokers. Sleep hygiene was also a poor criterion with more than half (50.47%) of the respondents indicating that they fell asleep at or after 12.00AM and 2.00AM. Conclusion: The results outline that the students of Varendra University are exposed to significant environmental factors (mess life) and poor sleep hygiene, as well as risky lifestyles such as smoking. The presence of the underweight and overweight prevalence is an indicator of the nutritional instability. Such findings create intense necessity in the university administrations to establish specific health education initiatives and regular medical check-up measures to enhance improved lifestyle choices and health among the student communities.