Body Mass Index of Students at the Health Sciences Faculty of

Prof Dr. Hamka Muhammadiyah University

Mega Puspa Sari

, Yoli Farradika

and Fitria

Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka, Jakarta, Indonesia

Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka, Jakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Students, Body Mass Index (BMI), Non-Communicable Diseases.

Abstract: Increased body fat to reach obesity can increase the risk of disease. Obesity is a worldwide problem in both

developed and developing countries because of its increasing prevalence in adults and children. Not only

obesity, malnutrition is also a health problem that often occurs. This can cause anemia and other diseases. It

is necessary to monitor body weight regularly from an early age by measuring the body mass index (BMI).

The aim of the research is as a first step in determining the right targets in a preventive effort to prevent non-

communicable diseases by knowing the description of the body mass index of students of the Faculty of

Health Sciences, University of Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka. The research design used is descriptive with

a cross-sectional approach. Sampling technique with random sampling method with a total of 159

respondents. The results showed the status of body mass index with a percentage of 45.3% in the normal

category, 28.3% overweight, 17.6% underweight, and 8.8% obesity.

1 INTRODUCTION

A person's nutritional status can be determined and

carried out at any time in a simple way, namely by

measuring the Body Mass Index (BMI). Body mass

index is measured based on body weight in kilograms

divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2) (Nuttal

F, 2015). The problem of obesity is currently a

problem in various countries, including Indonesia. In

2018, 31% of Indonesian people aged over 15 years

suffer from obesity with a BMI classification > 27

(RISKESDAS, 2018). There was a significant

increase from the results of the previous measurement

in 2013 which was only 26.6% (RISKESDAS, 2013).

The increasing prevalence of obesity that occurs

in Asia, especially Indonesia, makes BMI play an

important role in predicting obesity-related diseases

(Rocha, 2017). Overweight and obesity are closely

related to the risk of various non-communicable

diseases (PTM), such as diabetes, high blood

pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, arthritis, and low

health status (Maftuhatul, 2019). Meanwhile, a low

Body Mass Index (BMI) is closely related to

increased mortality from chronic obstructive

pulmonary disease (Guo et al., 2016). Malnutrition is

https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4066-1312

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8080-5559

also a health problem that often occurs. This can

cause anemia and other diseases. Low body weight is

also associated with low quality of life related to

health (Khasana, Kertia and Probosuseno, 2020).

There are differences in the perception of body

weight in the sexes. In general, males tend to

underestimate their body weight, while females tend

to overestimate their body weight. Body mass index

is a reflection of the relationship between adult body

weight and height, used to judge body fat levels that

are not influenced by gender (Wijaya, Muliarta and

Permana, 2020). Appreciation of the reasons for these

gender differences may assist health professionals to

make appropriate decisions on weight control

strategies. It was reported that female adolescents

were motivated to adopt a variety of weight control

behaviors by their body perception, rather than their

actual body mass index (BMI). Women who

perceived themselves to be overweight were more

likely to exercise, restrict calorie intake, self-

medicate, or purge. Weight control behavior in males

is of less concern, in that they exercise or restrict

calorie intake but do not self-medicate or purge

(Utami, Juniartha and Suindrayasa, 2021).

Sari, M. P., Farradika, Y. and Fitria,

Body Mass Index Students at the Health Sciences Faculty of Prof. Dr. Hamka Muhammadiyah University.

DOI: 10.5220/0012898500004564

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Social Determinants of Health (ICSDH 2023), pages 40-43

ISBN: 978-989-758-727-6; ISSN: 2975-8297

The aim of the research is as a first step in

determining the right targets in a preventive effort to

prevent non-communicable diseases by knowing the

description of the body mass index of students of the

Faculty of Health Sciences, University of

Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka. In addition, it can

be used as a policy maker for routine activity

programs and consulting activities for handling

students who have problems with weight.

2 SUBJECT AND METHODS

The focus of this study was on the measurements of

the weight and height of the UHAMKA Faculty of

Health Sciences students. Data obtained by

interviewing respondents through GForm. The

population of this study were all students at the

UHAMKA Faculty of Health Sciences. Samples were

taken using the total sampling technique. All

members of the population, as many as 159 students,

who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, were

included in the study. The inclusion criteria recorded

were students at the UHAMKA Faculty of Health

Sciences. Those who did not want to be respondents

were excluded from the population. Data analysis was

performed using the Univariate test software SPSS.

3 RESULTS

Based on table 1 it was found that the average age of

the respondents was 20.46 years, with a variation of

1.301 years. The youngest respondent is 18 years old

and the oldest is 24 years old. The results of the

analysis can be concluded that 95% believed that the

average age of the respondents was between 20.26 –

20.66 years.

Table 1: Frequency Distribution of Respondents Based on

the Age of Students at the Uhamka Fikes in 2023.

Variable Mean SD Min - Max 95% CI

Age 20,46 1,301 18 – 24 20,26 – 20,66

Table 2: Frequency Distribution of Respondents Based on

the Gender of Students at the Uhamka Fikes in 2023.

Gender n %

Male 21 13,2

Female 138 86,8

Total 159 100

Table 2 shows that the most respondents were

female, namely 138 respondents (86.8%) and male,

namely 21 respondents (13.2%).

Table 3 shows that 54.7% of the respondents had

an abnormal body mass index with an overweight

category of 28.3%, 17.6% of underweight and 8.8%

of obesity.

Table 3: Frequency Distribution of Respondents Based on

Student BMI Categories at the Uhamka Fikes in 2023.

BMI Category n %

Underweight 28 17,6

Normal weight 72 45,3

Overweight 45 28,3

Obesity 14 8,8

Total 159 100

Table 4 shows the Body Mass Index based on the

age category of 159 respondents at the time the study

was conducted, the body mass index for the

underweight category was 57.1% at the age of less

than 20 years, 51.1% for the overweight category at

the age of less than 20 years, and the category obesity

by 50%.

Table 4: Tabulation of BMI Categories for Student Fikes

Uhamka Based on Age Categories.

BMI Category

Age Total

≤ 20 years >20 years

n % n % n %

Underweigt 16 57,1 12 42,9 28 100

Normal weight 37 51,4 35 48,6 72 100

Overweight 23 51,1 22 48,9 45 100

Obesity 7 50 7 50 14 100

Total 83 52,2 76 47,8 159 100

Table 5 shows the Body Mass Index based on

gender of the 159 respondents at the time the study

was conducted, underweight and obesity were mostly

female at 92.9%. 82.2% overweight in female.

Table 5: Tabulation of BMI Category of Uhamka Fikes

Students by Gender.

BMI Category

Gender Total

Male Female

n % n % n %

Underweigt

2 7,1 26 92,9 28 100

Normal wei

ht 10 13,9 62 86,1 72 100

Overweight

8 17,8 37 82,2 45 100

Obesity

1 7,1 13 92,9 14 100

Total

21 13,2 138 86,8 159 100

Body Mass Index Students at the Health Sciences Faculty of Prof. Dr. Hamka Muhammadiyah University

4 DISCUSSION

This study shows an overview of the body mass index

of respondents, in this case students, for early efforts

to prevent non-communicable diseases from an early

age. Respondents have different perceptions of their

body mass index. BMI that is owned by a person

certainly differs between each individual depending

on the ratio of weight and height of each individual.

The results showed that the dominant female

respondents had an abnormal BMI in the categories

of underweight, overweight and obesity. Gender may

have an impact on how people perceive healthy

lifestyles and make health-related decisions (Maruf,

Akinpelu and Nwankwo, 2013).

Students are the younger generation who play an

important role in the field of education. Students with

monotonous and long physical activities tend to

experience an increase in BMI so that it affects

cardiovascular endurance (Febriyanti, Adiputra and

Sutadarma, 2017). The cause of increased BMI is an

energy imbalance between the food consumed and the

energy expended. In general, there is a high intake of

energy-dense foods high in fat and sugar, and low

physical activity due to the sedentary nature of

various jobs (Vaamonde and Álvarez-Món, 2020).

Increased BMI is a major risk factor for chronic

diseases such as cardiovascular disease (heart and

stroke), diabetes, bone and muscle disorders and

malignancy (Lestari, Asnar and Suhartati, 2022).

Obesity and low cardiovascular endurance contribute

significantly to the increased prevalence of

cardiovascular disease. Meanwhile, thin people with

BMI <18.5 have a risk of osteoporosis seven times

greater than normal or obese people (BMI≥18.5).

This condition can occur because low BMI is

associated with low peak bone mass attainment and

high bone loss (Humaryanto and Syauqy, 2019).

5 CONCLUSIONS

Studies show that the body mass index category for

overweight is 28.3%, underweight is 17.6%, and

obesity is 8.8%. Studies also show that abnormal

body mass index occurs in women, both underweight

(92%), overweight (82.2%), and obese (92%). The

age of the respondents who experienced an abnormal

body mass index occurred at the age of less than 20

years.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Our gratitude is sent to Centre of Research and

Development Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof DR.

HAMKA (UHAMKA) who funded this study.

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Body Mass Index Students at the Health Sciences Faculty of Prof. Dr. Hamka Muhammadiyah University