Factores de riesgo para enfermedad cardiovascular en alumnos de enfermería de la Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana de Medellín, Colombia

Objective. To determine the prevalence of exposure to lifestyle-related risk factors to cardiovascular disease in nursing students of the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB) de Medellín (Colombia). Method. An observational, descriptive, cross sectional study was performed in nursing students of the UPB registered in 2004. A self-administered questionnaire based on the II Study of Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases was used. The risk factors included were: smoking, overweight and obesity, physical activity, a history of hypertension or hyperlipidemia, and current perceived health status. Results. A total of 222 students responded (96% of all students registered). The mean age of the students was 20.7 years and 97.7% were women. Fifty-two percent did not take any physical exercise, 17% smoked, 9% was overweight and 1.4% was obese. Conclusion. A substantial proportion of nursing students have unhealthy lifestyles, representing a risk for the future development of cardiovascular disease. Consequently, strategies designed to reinforce healthy lifestyles should be developed.