DOI: 10.36347/sjmcr.2020.v08i01.027

Pages: 86-90

Teachers constitute an important fraction of Nigerian workforce whose sedentary nature of work lead them to intake of calorie dense food and more sitting during the day. Overweight and obesity seem to be responsible for the occurrence of diseases among the workers. The study therefore determined the factors influencing overweight among teachers in Nigeria. 360 teachers ranging from head teachers, classroom teachers and school heads were recruited for this study. Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected using a structured questionnaire. 165 (46%) were male while 195 (54%) were female with average age of 40.9 ± 8.8 years and average body mass index (BMI) of 26.7 ± 5.9 kg/m2. BMI and blood pressure measurements were taken using standard techniques. BMI was classified using the National Institutes of Health criteria, 2000. Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient at 0.05 level of significance was used to test the relationship between variables. Based on BMI, the prevalence of overweight and generalized obesity among teachers in South South Nigeria Training Colleges, were 31.7% and 25.5%, respectively. Overweight and obesity are more common among female teachers than their male counterparts. Using the waist circumference, approximately 60% of the teachers had central obesity, while 57.2% are either overweight or obese. The high prevalence of overweight and obesity seen among teachers calls for the introduction of therapeutic lifestyle modification in this group of workers which can be achieved through appropriate health education and interventional measures.