PD653 - THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DAILY STEP COUNT AND OBESITY INDICATORS AMONG FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN SAUDI ARABIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

PD653

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DAILY STEP COUNT AND OBESITY INDICATORS AMONG FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN SAUDI ARABIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

A. Alsaeedi^1,*, M. Alfify¹, R. Jaffari¹, S. Sahloli¹, K. Hakami¹, T. Hakami¹, S. Khallawi¹

¹Jazan University , Jazan, Saudi Arabia

Rationale: Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Although 10,000 steps/day is widely promoted as a general health target, and 7,000–9,000 steps/day may be sufficient for health benefits, its relationship with obesity indicators remains unclear, particularly among young Saudi females.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among female students (≥19 years) at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia (November 2025), recruited via convenience sampling. Daily step count was measured using smartphone applications over seven days, with the average of five valid days analysed. Step counts were categorised as <5,000, 5,000–7,499, 7,500–9,999, and ≥10,000 steps/day. Anthropometric measures included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and skinfold thickness (assessed in person), with body fat percentage estimated using standard equations. Associations were assessed using Spearman correlation analysis (p < 0.05).

Results: A total of 200 participants were included (mean age 20.28 ± 1.72 years). Physical activity levels were low (4,495 ± 2,991 steps/day), with most participants classified as sedentary (<5,000 steps/day) and only 5% achieving ≥10,000 steps/day. No significant associations were observed between step count and obesity indicators (all p > 0.05).

Conclusion: These findings highlight the multifactorial nature of obesity, where factors such as dietary intake, sleep patterns, stress, sedentary behaviour, and activity type may play a greater role than step count alone. The low step counts observed emphasise the need for targeted public health initiatives to promote walking and increase daily physical activity. Higher step counts may yield different outcomes and should be explored in future research.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared