Obesity and Overweight among Employees of Medical Technical Institute/ Baghdad

Abstract

Objecti١e: Obesity and overweight are well known risk factors for coronary artery disease, and are
expected to be increasing all over the world. Therefore, we designed this study with the objective to
determine the prevalence of obesity and overweight among the employees of the medical technical
institute Baghdad Iraq.
Methodology: ٨ cross-sectional study was conducted in the medical technical institute Baghdad Iraq,
between January 2006 and march 2006. The enrolled subjects were a convenient sample of employees
of teaching staff, technicians, administrative and labors.Two hundred and three subjects constituted the
study sample.
Results: The final total number of members included in the study was 203, comprising 53 males and
150 females. The mean age was 41.9629.47 years. The mean BMl was 27.36=4.86. The prevalence of
overweight and grade 2 obesity among the studied sample was 50(24.60%), and 92(45.3%)
respectively, while no one had gradej obesity.There was significant association between the age of the
studied sample and the BMI grades (020.006) between the educational level and the increase in BMI
(1-.009), between the type of employment and the increase in BMI (P=.O18), between positive family
history and obesity (p=.ooo), between practicing exercise and the increase in weight.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity was high, and more than two thirds of both males
and females were either overweight or obese, which are well known risk factors for many medical
disorders .
Recommendation: The findings of this study indicates that even medical and health staff w ere in need
for a prevention program to tackle the problems of obesity among adult.