ASSESSING LIFESTYLE STATUS AND ADIPOSITY AMONG HEALTH PERSONNEL IN BUEA HEALTH DISTRICT, CAMEROON
Abstract
Introduction: Obesity is at the center of public health concern in both developed and undeveloped settings. We assessed the relationship between lifestyle status and adiposity based on physical activity, dietary habits, occupation and income levels among public health care personnel (HCP) working within the Buea health district in Cameroon.
Method: Using a questionnaire, a cross-sectional study was performed among a total of 212 public HCP of the Buea health district who consented and participated in the study. Using appropriate statistical analyses, weight, height, waist circumference (WC) and leisure-time physical activity were measured and categorized. And dietary habits were measured based on food frequency questionnaires.
Results: Of the 212 HCP sampled, 43% of the women and 15.4% male were obese at p<0.01, and overweight was 33.6% for women and 20.5% for male at p<0.05. Also, abdominal obesity was observed among 16.4% of women and 6.4% of men at p<0.05. Fats and oil, milk and animal products and grains and cereals were positively associated with both genders. Also, by using multivariate analyses and after adjusting for age groups, leisure-time physical activity quartiles, dietary group, tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption, in men, based on professional category, there was a significant difference for overweight (AOR=2.1; 95% CI:1.3−2.8), obesity (AOR=3.5; 95% CI:0.6−3.2), abdominal obesity (AOR=2.5, 95% CI:1.9−2.8) for those with higher occupation category than those with lower category.
Smoking tobacco was significantly associated with abdominal obesity in men, while education had no significant association with the various risk factors based on gender but was significantly associated with Mean METS of leisure-time physical activity and alcohol consumption.
Conclusion: After adjusting for confounding factors, lifestyle status is positively associated with adiposity among HCP in Buea health district.
KEYWORDS: Lifestyle status, Health care personnel, Overweight, Obesity, Abdominal obesity, Cameroon
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