335500
Describing the Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol, Physical Activity, and Obesity (SNAPO) health indicators of students at the University of Guam
Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the SNAPO health indicators in a cross-sectional survey of 338 college students (161 males; 177 females) at the University of Guam. Student researchers were trained to collect information on demographics, health behaviors (including current smoking (yes/no), alcohol consumption within the past 30 days (yes/no), watching sodium intake (yes/no), and physical activity measured with the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire), and height and weight measurements to estimate obesity. The SNAPO indicators were compared between students with and without a family history of NCDs..
Methods: On average students were 22.2 ± 3.9 years old, and the majority (54.7%) were employed for wages. Compared to students without a history of NCDs (6.7%), significantly more students with a history of NCD (16.8%) reported being told by a doctor to reduce sodium intake (p<.01). The other SNAPO health indicators (smoking, alcohol, physical activity and obesity indicators) were not statistically different between students with and without a family history of NCDs.
Discussion: The students with a history of NCDs reported that they were watching their sodium intake as a result of recommendations from their doctor. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the majority of the students has access to health insurance through their parents, and thus could access health care. Annual doctor visits provide an opportunity for SNAPO counseling giving students an appropriate outlook on their health. High-risk students, in particular, may benefit from regular doctor visits.
Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programsLearning Objectives:
Describe the smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity, and obesity health indicators of college students in Guam.
Keyword(s): Health Assessment, Asian and Pacific Islanders
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a co-investigator in the study of the baseline health assessment of the University of Guam student population, approved by the Guam International Research Board (IRB). Research toward Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol, Physical Activity and Obesity (SNAPO) and how they affect someone physically, mentally and emotionally are among my interests in the scientific field. A better understanding of these concepts and how they coincide with each other can reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.