RISK FACTORS FOR DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2 IN NURSING STUDENTS FATORES DE RISCO PARA DIABETES MELLITUS TIPO 2 EM ACADÊMICOS DE ENFERMAGEM

Objective: to investigate the prevalence of risk factors for diabetes mellitus type 2 among nursing students. Method: a cross-sectional study was developed in the first semester of 2009 with 99 nursing students, of both sexes, in a nursing college of Fortaleza/Ceara. Data were collected with a formulary regarding sociodemographic factors, anthropometric data, physical activity information, blood pressure levels and the capillary glycemia. The data was analyzed by the Statistical Software Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 16.0. The study was approved by the committee of ethics in research involving humans of the mentioned college through the protocol number 011/2009. Results: a large portion of the sample (46.5%) presented Overweight/obesity, 74,7% presented sedentaryism, 14.1% presented prehypertension, 14.1% presented hypertension and 1% had high capillary glycemia. Conclusions: the study showed that nursing students that participated in the survey presented different risk factors for diabetes mellitus type 2. It reinforces the importance of emphasize the prevention of this illness. Descriptors: diabetes mellitus; risk factors; students. RESUMO