FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE AMONG UNIVERSITY FEMALE STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Obesity is a global health concern, with waist circumference (WC) serving as a primary measure of abdominal obesity, which is a principal risk factor for chronic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the socioeconomic and dietary factors associated with increased WC among young adult Saudi female students. A cross-sectional study included 472 female university students in Makkah City. Socioeconomic status, targeted dietary behaviours, anthropometric measures, and body composition were assessed using standard protocols. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of increased WC (≥80 cm). The prevalence of increased WC was 17.8%. Factors significantly associated with increased WC included breakfast skipping (OR: 5.54, 95% CI: 1.28-24.0, p=0.022), regular soft drink consumption (OR: 16.62, 95% CI: 3.42-80.7, p<0.001), and regular red meat consumption (OR: 4.44, 95% CI: 1.01-19.4, p=0.048). The study reveals that increased WC is prevalent among female university students, and several modifiable faulty dietary behaviours are likely to influence WC. These findings highlight the necessity for public health interventions that target relevant risk factors to prevent obesity and its associated health complications in this population.