Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity among Nurses in Bahrain: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Despite the plethora of studies on obesity in nurses worldwide, there is a paucity of studies in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCC) including Bahrain. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among nurses in BahrainMethods: We used secondary data from a study that examined musculoskeletal self-reported symptoms among nurses in Bahrain. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was determined by calculating the percentages of BMI using the World Health Organization classification.Results: A total of 550 nurses participated in the study. Most were females (n=488, 89.1%), ages 31 to 40 (n=239, 43.8%). The mean BMI was 26.9 (±4.4). A total of 64.6% of nurses in Bahrain were overweight and obese. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 43.2% and 21.4%, respectively. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is associated with nationality and shift work. Conclusion: We used BMI to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity, which is widely used in the literature. However, BMI does not consider muscle mass, bone density, overall body composition, and racial and sex differences. Therefore, in future studies, body fat proportion and muscle mass need to be measured to estimate the prevalence and predict risks for disease development, morbidity, and mortality. Leaders in health care institutions and professional nursing organizations in Bahrain should consider ways to promote nurses’ health by improving working conditions and providing access to facilities that promote health and wellbeing.