Aim. This study aimed to determine predictive power of obesity indices, cardiovascular fitness and physical activity in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in male and female college students.

Background. Given the high mortality due to cardiovascular diseases from the young age caused by obesity and physical inactivity, the primary prevention, especially at an early age can be a solution to avoid the disease. Initial screening by simple, secure and affordable methods for prevention is essential.

Method. A total of 223 students (150 males, age 20.33±1.71 and 73 females, age 20.36±1.72) participated in this cross-sectional descriptive study. Data were obtained using a questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, and cardiovascular fitness (VO₂max). Independent t-tests was used to show difference between gender in terms of variables, ANOVA was used to determine the differences among groups of male and female separately, whose had the different number of risk factors, and Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficient were used to determine the correlation of obesity indices and VO₂max with metabolic risk factors, and the ROC curves was used to measure the power of predicting and the cut-off points of cardiovascular risk factors.

Findings.Statistically significant correlation was found between obesity indices and metabolic risk factors (other than blood glucose and systolic blood pressure in males). As the number of metabolic risk factors increased, elevation in obesity indices in females and the reduction of VO₂max in males were significant. All obesity indices were within normal range. Cut-off points calculated by the ROC were 21.11 for body mass index and 75.15, 0.44 and 75.50, 0.47 for waist circumference and the waist-to-height ratio, for males and females respectively.

Conclusion. The findings of this study showed that the obesity indices are more powerful than physical activity levels and VO₂max for predicting the possibility of cardiovascular disease among students.