Obesity among health care assistants: Prevalence and association of prevalence

Abstract

Introduction The term “obesity” is used to describe the health condition of anyone significantly above his or her ideal healthy weight. Being obese puts you at a higher risk for health problems such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and more.

Objective 1) To assess prevalence of obesity among the healthcare assistants working in private hospitals of Mumbai. 2) To find out the association of prevalence of obesity with selected demographic variables among health care assistants working in private hospitals of Mumbai.

Materials and Methods: The study was done in a private hospital with descriptive exploratory approach. Total 100 health care assistants were enrolled in the study. The risk factors for the obesity and bio-physiological parameters were assessed to assess the prevalence of obesity.

Results: The results noted within 69% are males and 31% are female. Out of 100 participants 16% are educated up to 5th std and 84% educated more than 5th std 13% participants having income up to 15000/ and 36% participants between 16000/ to 19000/ and 52% are having income between 20000-30000/38% participants are staying in joint family and 62% staying in nuclear family. Further, 48% were overweight, 10% were class I obese and very few that is 2% and no one in class III obesity. According WHR 58% were in high health risk for heart disease. There are lots of risk factors associated with obesity and lots of diseases like diabetes, heart disease are associated with obesity.

Conclusion: There is no association of BMI with age, gender, education and type of family were found.