OBJECTIVE:
identify the modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus in college students and associate these factors with their sociodemographic variables.
METHOD:
cross-sectional study, involving 702 college students from Fortaleza-CE, Brazil. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, physical exercise data and blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose levels were collected.
RESULTS:
the most prevalent risk factor was sedentariness, followed by overweight, central obesity, high fasting plasma glucose and arterial hypertension. A statistically significant association was found between overweight and sex (p=0.000), age (p=0.004) and marital status (p=0.012), as well as between central obesity and age (p=0.018) and marital status (p=0.007) and between high fasting plasma glucose and sex (p=0.033).
CONCLUSION:
distinct risk factors were present in the study population, particularly sedentariness and overweight.
Risk Factors; Diabetes Mellitus; Type 2; Students; Nursing; Health Promotion