Relationship between animal protein intake and hemoglobin levels among medical students at Pasundan University

Andromeda Andromeda (Universitas Pasundan, Indonesia)
Fitri Destianis Sudaryat (Universitas Pasundan, Indonesia)
Alma Lucyati (Universitas Pasundan, Indonesia)

Science Midwifery
Vol 14 No 3 (2026): August: Health Sciences and related fields

Background: Modern lifestyle changes characterized by high-fat dietary intake and reduced physical activity have increased the prevalence of obesity and lipid abnormalities among young adults. Visceral fat is considered metabolically active and has been associated with dyslipidemia and cardiovascular risk. However, findings regarding the relationship between visceral fat and total cholesterol levels in young adult populations remain inconsistent. Previous studies have predominantly involved older or metabolically compromised populations and frequently relied on advanced imaging methods such as CT scan or MRI, while evidence among apparently healthy university students using practical field-based measurements remains limited. Objective: Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between visceral fat level and total blood cholesterol among medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, Pasundan University (2024/2025). Methods: This correlational analytical study employed a cross-sectional design involving 111 eligible medical students. Visceral fat level was measured using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) with the Omron HBF-375 device, while total cholesterol level was assessed using a portable rapid cholesterol test device. Data were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation test. Results: The results showed that most respondents had normal visceral fat levels (79.3%) and normal total cholesterol levels (67.6%). Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated no statistically significant association between visceral fat level and total cholesterol (r = −0.060; p = 0.529). Conclusion: In conclusion, visceral fat accumulation was not significantly associated with total blood cholesterol levels among medical students. These findings suggest that cholesterol status in young adults may be influenced more by overall lifestyle and metabolic factors than by visceral fat accumulation alone. This study highlights the importance of early lifestyle-based prevention strategies to reduce future cardiometabolic risk.