Abstract
The measurement of body mass index (BMI) and Fasting blood glucose (FBG)
serve as a public health guide for assessing health status of humans. While the Body Mass Index measures individual's body fat, FBG estimates blood glucose level usually conducted after 8 to 10 hours abstinence from food and liquids (except water). The cross-sectional study evaluated the BMI and the FBS in apparently healthy undergraduate in a malaria endemic region in Nigeria. A sample size consisting of 113 females and 50 male students with a minimum of three years of enrollment in the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma were randomly recruited. The participants were informed of the purpose of the study and they submitted voluntarily. From each subject, fasting blood glucose was measured using glucometers, while BMI was calculated from height and weight measurement. Data was compiled, sorted and analysed using appropriate software. Results showed that 63.8% of participants had normal FBG levels, 34.4% were hypoglycemic, and 1.8% was pre-diabetic. Females exhibited slightly higher hypoglycemia rates of 20.25% and BMI with, 18.4% overweight and 7.3% obese scores compared to hypoglycemic rate of 14.11% in males with, 5% overweight and 0.65 case of obesity. A weak, non-significant positive correlation (r =0.121) was found between the BMI and FBG. The mean standard deviation values of FBG of malaria-asymptomatic, 73.50±14.52 and malaria-recuperating individuals 74.09±11.89 were close. Age-related trends indicated slightly elevated FBG among older participants 26 years and above (82.65±8.65), 22-25 years (78.81±5.72) and 18 -21years (81.57±8.10), possibly linked to declining insulin sensitivity. The findings highlight gender and age disparities in glucose regulation. A prevalence of 34.4% hypoglycemic state in an institution of higher learning can impact negatively on cognitive function and the overall well-being in affected students. Further research is recommended to investigate the relationship between clinical malaria infection and glucose metabolism.