The Association between Obesity and Grade Point Average (GPA) among College Students in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: The WHO has recently identified obesity as one of the growing health issues worldwide. Additionally, obesity has been linked to lower academic achievement. Many studies have shown that having a healthy weight correlates with improving academic performance. Other studies showed that there is no relationship between obesity and intellectual achievement among students.

Objectives: This study aims to determine the association between obesity and GPA among College students in Saudi Arabia. With secondary objectives to look at differences between males and females.

Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study looking at undergraduate students at different universities from different regions in Saudi Arabia. The data was collected through a self-administered survey which includes questions regarding (BMI, GPA, Age, Gender, Marital Status, Weight in Kg, Height in cm, name of the College, and academic level). The data was analyzed using SPSS version 27.0.

Results: The study included 424 participants, the majority of respondents fall within the 21-25 age bracket, comprising 62.5% of the sample. As for BMI distribution, with the highest percentage falling within the normal range at 35.8%, closely followed by the obese category at 23.8%. The GPA distribution, both on a scale of 5 and 4, provides a comprehensive understanding of academic performance within the surveyed population. Notably, a significant proportion of respondents achieved a GPA between 4.75 and 5, constituting 26.4% of the sample on the 5-point scale, and 40.8% on the 4-point scale.

Conclusion: There was no significant association between BMI and participants’ GPA whether out of 5 or 4. More research is needed to better understand the mechanisms behind this association and to develop effective interventions to support the academic success of all students, regardless of their weight status.