Abstract
This study assessed changes in the nutrition profile of public hospital workers over a period of three decades and the association between nutritional status and occupational factors. A retrospective cohort study was conducted with staff taken on in 1980, 1990, and 2000 still working in the hospital in 2013. The following data was obtained from staff records: sociodemographic characteristics; and body weight and height, recorded during pre-employment and periodic medical examinations. The latter was used to calculate body mass index (BMI).The final sample consisted of 386 workers (76.4% women and 88.1% white) with a mean age of 29.3 ± 7.3 years. Mean body weight and BMI at admission were highest in the 2000 cohort (W = 66.3 ± 12.5kg; BMI = 21.3 ± 2.5 kg/m2), compared to 1980 (W = 56.7 ± 10.2 kg; BMI = 21.3 ± 2.5 kg/m2)and 1990 (W = 62.2 ± 11.5 kg; BMI = 22.9 ± 3.3 kg/m2) cohorts. Variation in weight and BMI between the pre-employment examination and final periodic examination was highest in the 2000 cohort. When stratified by sex, this difference in variation was observed only in men. No association was found between variation in body weight and BMI and work shift and occupation. The increase in weight and BMI reflects the nutritional transition in Brazil, underscoring the need for nutritional surveillance and the implementation of health education programs directed at staff.
Highlights
Obesity and overweight has grown at an alarming rate in recent decades around the world across all population groups, regardless of ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status, and currently present a major public health problem of epidemic proportions[1]
The latter was used to calculate body mass index (BMI).The final sample consisted of 386 workers (76.4% women and 88.1% white) with a mean age of 29.3 ± 7.3 years
The results show that body weight and BMI upon entry is significantly higher in each successive cohort No statistically significant difference was found between thecohortsin relation to gender, skin color, and occupation no one difference between groups was observed
Summary
Obesity and overweight has grown at an alarming rate in recent decades around the world across all population groups, regardless of ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status, and currently present a major public health problem of epidemic proportions[1]. Excess weight significantly increases the risk of developing debilitating diseases with high social cost, such as type 2 diabetes[2], hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases[3]. Global epidemiological data shows that the worldwide prevalence of obesity nearly tripled between 1975 and 2016. More than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 years and older were overweight in 2016. 650 million were obese[4]. It is estimated that 38% of the world’s adult population will be overweight and 20% obese by the year 20305
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