Association between physical activity and body mass index with sociodemographic factors among public school teachers in Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Abstract

Background: Physical activity (PA) is a significant element in people’s daily life and leads to long-term health benefits. However, inadequate physical activity, obesity, and being overweight are the main risk factors that contribute to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to examine the association between physical activity and body mass index (BMI) among public school teachers in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Methods: The cross-sectional study design was applied from September 15th, 2021, to April 1st, 2022. Stratified-simple random sampling was employed to select 500 school teachers aged from 18 to 64. The current study used a questionnaire and was composed of two parts: the first part included sociodemographic characteristics and BMI, and the second part consisted of measuring physical activity assessments using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Long (IPAQ-L). Results: The majority of teachers (38.6%) were between the ages of 30 and 39, and 64.8% were female. The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity was 71.4%. The vast majority of school teachers (65.8%) had a low level of physical activity, which was significantly linked with gender (P < 0.001), marital status (P < 0.001), educational level (P = 0.008), and monthly income (P = 0.006). There was a significant relationship between physical activity and body mass index, which was inversely related to body mass index (P < 0.001). In addition, teachers with a healthy BMI were more physically active than those with a high BMI. Conclusion: The vast majority of teachers failed to meet international recommendations on PA. Moreover, it was shown that there is a significant association between physical activity and body weight. When physical activity increases, BMI will decrease.