Relationship between caffeine consumption and physical activity with arterial elasticity in medical students
Abstract
Background: Medical students often consume high amounts of caffeine due to heavy academic demands and tend to be less physically active. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between caffeine consumption and physical activity with arterial elasticity in medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta in 2025. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 80 undergraduate medical students aged 18–23 years, recruited through consecutive sampling. Data on physical activity, caffeine consumption, and demographics were collected using validated questionnaires. Stress, sleep quality, and eating habits were assessed using the PSS-10, PSQI, and AFHC, respectively. Only healthy participants with low to moderate stress, good sleep quality, and healthy eating habits were included in this study. The SA-3000P Accelerated Photoplethysmography (APG) analyzer was used to assess arterial elasticity, and the results were categorized as suboptimal, normal, or optimal. Results: Suboptimal arterial elasticity was observed in 51.3% of participants. Caffeine consumption was moderate in most participants (61.3%), while physical activity levels were moderate in 57.5% of the participants. The Chi-square test showed a significant association between caffeine consumption and arterial elasticity (p = 0.012), whereas physical activity showed no significant association (p = 0.093). Conclusions: High caffeine consumption was associated with reduced arterial elasticity in medical students, whereas physical activity was not significantly associated. These findings suggest a potential association between caffeine intake and vascular health in young adults.Downloads
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