Health Behaviors Associated with Overweight among University Students: The Roles of Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Physical Activity

Afriza Umami (Medical Records and Health Information, School of Health Sciences of Muhammadiyah Bojonegoro, East Java, Indonesia)
Sudalhar (Bachelor of Hospital Administration, School of Health Sciences of Muhammadiyah Bojonegoro, East Java, Indonesia)
Sherly Rahayu Retnoningtyas (Bachelor of Nutrition, School of Health Sciences of Muhammadiyah Bojonegoro, East Java, Indonesia)

Journal of Health Promotion and Behavior
Vol. 11 No. 3 (2026)

Background: Overweight and obesity among university students are influenced by dietary behavior, physical activity, socioeconomic characteristics, and family predisposition. This study aimed to analyze factors associated with overweight/obesity among university students, focusing on ultra-processed food consumption and physical activity while controlling for potential confounders. Subjects and Method: This case-control study involving 201 active university students, comprising 77 overweight/obesity cases and 124 normal controls. Participants were selected using purposive sampling with matching by sex and age. Data were collected using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQ-FFQ), International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and anthropometric measurements. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression with SPSS version 29. Results: family history of obesity was significantly associated with higher odds of overweight/ obesity. Students with a family history of obesity had approximately three times higher odds of being overweight/obese than those without a family history (aOR= 2.96; 95% CI=1.10 to 7.93; p= 0.031). Students enrolled in the Nutrition study program had lower odds of overweight/obesity than those in the Hospital Administration program (aOR=0.35; 95% CI=0.13 to 0.95; p= 0.040). Weekly allowance >IDR 700,000 showed a borderline association with higher odds of overweight/ obesity (aOR= 6.59; 95% CI=0.89 to 48.95; p=0.065). Vigorous physical activity ≤10 minutes also showed a borderline association with lower odds (aOR=0.33; 95% CI=0.11 to 1.01; p=0.053), whereas vigorous physical activity of 11–20 minutes was not significantly associated with over­weight/ obesity (aOR= 0.89; 95% CI=0.32 to 2.45; p=0.820). Frequent snack and soft drink consumption were not significantly associated with overweight/obesity after adjustment. Conclusion: Family history of obesity and study program were significantly associated with overweight/obesity, whereas ultra-processed food consumption and physical activity were not independently associated after adjustment. These findings highlight the importance of familia predisposition and nutrition-related educational environments in campus-based prevention strategies.