University Students' Sociodemographics, Physical Inactivity, and Inadequate and Poor-Quality Sleep Are Associated With Their Overweight/Obesity: Findings From a Case–Control Study in Bangladesh

Abstract

Background and Aims

Evidence confirms a high prevalence of general and abdominal obesity among university students in Bangladesh. The primary objective of this case–control study was to examine the association between overweight/obesity and sleep patterns (including sleep duration and quality) among university students in Bangladesh. The secondary objective was to identify the sociodemographic and lifestyle-related factors that predict overweight/obesity in the study population.

Methods

The sociodemographics and body mass index (BMI) were gathered from a sample of 330 university students (setting: one public university in Bangladesh). Sleep health was measured by the 19-item Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and compared between the cases (BMI ≥ 23.0 kg/m²) and controls (BMI = 18.5–22.9 kg/m²). Bivariate and multiple stepwise regression analyses were performed.

Results

One hundred and sixty-five overweight/obesity students and 165 control subjects participated in the study. The peak age for overweight/obesity was 22–25 years in the students, and about 67% of the cases were poor-quality sleepers compared to 53% of the students in the control group. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that students' overweight/obesity was associated with being female (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 2.12; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.25, 3.61), short sleep duration ( ≤ 7 h/night) (aOR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.66), poor quality of sleep (aOR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.16, 2.87), and physical inactivity (aOR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.12, 3.55).

Conclusion

Key factors associated with overweight/obesity among Bangladeshi university students include age (22–25 years), gender (higher prevalence in female students), sleep duration and quality, and physical inactivity. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions addressing sleep health, physical activity, and healthy lifestyles to mitigate overweight/obesity among university students.