Factores asociados a baja agudeza visual en una población escolar de la ciudad de Bucaramanga, Colombia

Introduction. Low visual acuity is a public health problem worldwide, which is increasing year by year, and it is associated with unhealthy behavioral factors such as sedentary lifestyle. Low visual acuity particularly affects schoolchildren, for whom vision is one of the most important systems for their development, both in terms of learning and social interactions. The objective of this study is to establish an association between low visual acuity and sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics in a school population in the city of Bucaramanga, Colombia. Methodology. This is an observational cross-sectional study based on survey data collected from students in an educational institution in Bucaramanga between 2006 and 2017. A bivariate analysis was conducted between sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics and low visual acuity. Results. The prevalence of low visual acuity was 33.57%, with a higher prevalence of low visual acuity in women and those with a higher body mass index. However, low visual acuity did not have a statistically significant association with the other variables studied. Discussion. Women have a higher prevalence of low visual acuity. There appears to be a relationship between physical activity and visual acuity. Conclusions: The differences found according to sex could be due to different behavioral patterns between males and females, such as physical activity and sedentary lifestyle. Further studies are needed to assess the causality of the association.