The relationship between overweight or obesity, elevated blood pressure and the overall quality of life in medical students, Poland.

Introduction: Medical students are exposed to chronic stress, unhealthy lifestyle habits, and emerging cardiometabolic risks, which are usually related to their nutritional status and quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to assess the relationship between overweight or obesity, elevated blood pressure, and QoL among medical students in Poland, and to identify its determinants over a 2-year longitudinal period. Materials and methods: A total of 887 first-year medical students from the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice were enrolled in the prospective POLLEK study, with 705 students followed up in their second year. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure assessments, and QoL evaluation using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire were performed at both time points. Logistic regression and chi-square tests were applied to identify predictors of lower QoL and elevated blood pressure across BMI categories. Results: The prevalence of overweight or obesity increased slightly from 12.9% in the first year to 13.6% in the second year, and was statistically significant higher among male students. A small but statistically significant increase in BMI and blood pressure values was observed over the follow-up period. The highest rates of elevated blood pressure were found among obese students at both time points ( Conclusion: Overweight or obesity among medical students slightly increased over 2 years of follow-up and was associated with elevated blood pressure and unfavorable lifestyle patterns. The primary determinants of reduced QoL were financial hardship and chronic diseases rather than BMI itself. We believe that the early preventive interventions addressing weight disorders and health-promoting behaviors should be useful in the improvement of the situation.