Assessment of Preventable Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Diseases among Junior College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

CONTEXT: Lifestyle-associated risk factors may begin during childhood and result into cardiovascular diseases in adult life. Thus, a study was conducted among junior college students to assess these preventable risk factors among them. AIMS: To estimate (1) Prevalence of risk factors namely physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary habits, tobacco, and alcohol use among them and (2) The proportion of hypertension. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was done among 416 11(th) and 12(th) standard students from a school of a metropolitan city. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Two steps were conducted. Step 1 included an interview schedule and Step 2 involved anthropometry, pulse, and blood pressure of all the participants. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 21. Chi-square test was applied. RESULTS: The prevalence of tobacco and alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and unhealthy dietary habits were 5.5%, 5%, 74.5%, and 52.1%, respectively. The prevalence of overweight students was 13.9%. The prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension was 26.9% and 12.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that these risk factors namely, physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary habits, tobacco, and alcohol consumption commence during adolescence.