The relationship between body mass index and physical activities among medical students in Saint Lucia

Objective: To assess the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and physical activities among preclinical medical students at the Spartan Health Sciences University in St. Lucia, West Indies. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study. Two hundred. and fifty questionnaires were distributed, 194 were correctly completed, resulting in a response rate of 78%. Body mass index was calculated by using self-reported height and weight. Results: The results showed that 20.1% spend more than seven hours per week in some form of active motion. Twenty four (14.4%) of the respondents indicated that they are smokers and ninety four (48.5%) said that they consume alcohol. The mean BMI of the students was 21.9 Kg/m(2). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that students participate less in organised physical activity. It is therefore suggested that students should be encouraged to become more engaged in physical activities to prevent future possible health risks associated with sedentary lifestyle.